"Unraveling the Unknown: A Cinematic Exploration of overcoming a Personal and Professional Predicament"
5 minutes. The strain between Laura's (Susana Abaitua) personal and professional life escalates when she grabs an enticing job offer and her father's cancer worsens. Susana Abaitua stars in this raw, gritty film where the overwhelming chaos of juggling life's complexities serves as the narrative's driving force.
Movie maker Ana Lambarri takes her first leap into directing with this bold film, showcasing the struggles faced by individuals in challenging situations. Lambarri has shared more insights about her vision for Todo lo que no sé.
Seeking a Semblance of Order
Laura encounters an exciting opportunity when her previous colleague's long-dormant technological project begins to gain new life under her leadership, impressing potential employers with a groundbreaking prototype. As her professional life takes center stage, her father's cancer worsens, leading to a life-altering crisis that many viewers will identify with: "Hesitate to leave work due to guilt. Her career trajectory damages her personal relationships while she climbs the corporate ladder," Lambarri explains.
The protagonist reaches a crossroads, having to decide between risking her family's stability for career success. In this case, Lambarri is adamant that her character feels guilty: "She feels unworthy of her success. Guilt, which we all feel, is especially amplified in women."
Lambarri found her perfect actress in Susana Abaitua to embody the doubts and insecurities plaguing the character: "I appreciated Susana’s work and wanted someone in their mid-30s—not too young but able to seem quite youthful. That dynamic between both ages interested me," she notes. "Abaitua works with extreme dedication to deliver an authentic performance," the filmmaker mentions.
Family Strife: "Families are either quirky or idealized"
Life together towards a waterfall could symbolize the turmoil that Laura's family faces as chaos intensifies, and everyone attempts to care for the head of the family in their own way. The relationship between Laura and her sister begins to disintegrate, resulting in a power struggle between control and freedom: "The family thinks they have the power to dictate choices. They pass judgment on what one should do," Lambarri notes.
Lambarri also highlights the nuances within a household: "The family offers support but can also create limitations. So, I wanted to explore that aspect. I believe families often appear either peculiar or perfect. In this case, they strive for perfection, although they're not villainous characters."
In the family plot, Lambarri emphasizes that there are no heroes or villains, but rather characters navigating a gray, ambiguous space: "Nobody is perfect. Life is like that. I wanted Susana's character to be flawed, not 'goodistic'—a term we’ve used often during promotion. People aren't perfect: Laura embodies the imperfection of being unable to be perfect in everything."
Debut as a Director
Ana Lambarri makes her directorial debut with a complex theme. An impressive feat. Changes to the script during the process led to a story significantly different from the one Lambarri initially set out to tell: "I had a much more complex film in mind, initially set in the 90s," the director reveals.
However, Lambarri emphasizes that the story evolved as she focused on themes close to her heart: "I started defining topics that interested me, like how people give up pursuing their dreams due to societal pressures. From this idea, I created Laura's spiral," she shares. "The scripts continuously undergo transformations and simplify," she acknowledges.
Despite the challenging subject matter, the filmmaker admits that production was a joyful experience: "We had a fantastic time. Many directors and technicians talk about filmmaking as a struggle. In this shoot, there were lots of laughs, and we enjoyed a beautiful autumn in 2024," she reveals.
"I didn't intend to make a film that would make you cry"
Unexpectedly, audience members have shed tears after watching Everything I Don't Know. They empathize with the characters grappling with familiar struggles such as family conflicts, work difficulties, and painful emotions that evoke strong emotions: "They shed a tear after watching, easing some buried anxiety. They experience that emotion and often cry profusely," Lambarri shares.
However, it's not all tears, as Lambarri acknowledges that not everyone connects with the character, finding that perspective equally valid.
*Hugo Silva dives into the madness of 'Dismantling Lucia': "If we were all correct... what a dull life"ÁLVARO MEANA*Finally, the director concludes her thoughts about the message behind this film: "I hope that we might be able to pursue whatever we desire, maintaining our basic needs met. That we may truly connect with one another, especially women. I hope that we don't care so much about what others think of us."
Ana Lambarri takes her initial step in cinema with an empowering story of resilience that has already left an impression on the Málaga Film Festival. We await what the future holds for the director after crafting this raw, relatable story and inspiring audience members to let go and feel.
Themes
- Impact of societal expectations on women's ambition: The protagonist Laura faces a difficult journey balancing her career ambitions with societal constrictions, particularly the pressures associated with the 30s for women[1][5].
- Emotional struggles and vulnerability: Laura's navigation of her fractured relationship, father’s terminal illness, and the resulting chaos reflects common adult struggles and internal turmoil[1][4].
- Anger and resilience: The film portrays anger as a valid response to systemic oppression, showcasing scenes of Laura standing up for herself amid adversity[1][4].
- Intergenerational female narratives: The film adds to the growing wave of Spanish cinema exploring women’s complexities and inner lives[1][2].
Message
The film criticizes conventional societal expectations for women, advocating for self-determination amid systemic hurdles. Through Laura’s tumultuous journey navigating gender roles, career aspirations, and family responsibilities, Lambarri showcases resilience and personal growth while avoiding simplistic resolutions[4][1]. The title itself (Everything I Don’t Know) underscores the unknown and the emotional journey that Laura embarks upon[2][5]. Critical reviews highlight Lambarri's rejection of victimhood narratives, instead framing Laura's decisions as proactive self-care in a patriarchal world[2][4].
- Laura's personal and professional life is in a conflict, escalating when she grabs an enticing job offer and her father's cancer worsens.
- Ana Lambarri, the director of the film, is making her first leap into directing with this bold film.
- The film explores the struggles faced by individuals in challenging situations, serving as the narrative's driving force.
- Laura encounters an exciting opportunity at work, leading to a life-altering crisis that many viewers will identify with.
- Lambarri shares that her character feels guilty about her success and the potential damage it causes to her personal relationships.
- Susana Abaitua, the actress portraying Laura, embodies the doubts and insecurities plaguing the character.
- The family's dynamics intensify as they attempt to care for the head of the family, leading to a power struggle between control and freedom.
- Lambarri deems families as often appearing either peculiar or perfect, striving for perfection despite not being villainous characters.
- The film explores the gray, ambiguous space between heroes and villains, with no perfect characters.
- Changes to the script during production led to a significantly different story from the one Lambarri initially intended.
- The film is set in 2024 and was a joyful experience for the film's production team.
- Audiences have shed tears after watching the film, feeling a connection to the characters' struggles and emotions.
- Not everyone connects with the character, finding the perspective equally valid.
- The film offers an empowering story of resilience, inspiring audience members to let go and feel.
- The film criticizes conventional societal expectations for women, advocating for self-determination amid systemic hurdles, displaying themes of resilience, personal growth, and the rejection of victimhood narratives.
