The recurring theme is carried out through Anna Christina Barragan’s third feature, “The Ivy” (“Hiedra”). Her main character is young, like her first two very personal films, “Alba” and “Tacoskin.”
“I think in some way these three films are connected. They all deal with themes of family and adolescence, each following characters who, for a variety of reasons, do not perfectly fit the world around them, due to embarrassment, social background, isolation or abandonment.”
“The Ivy” follows Azucena, 30, and Julio, in his late teens. Azsenna approaches Julio, who lives in her foster home. Together, their time gives way to quiet intimacy, changing the relationships they see both come.
“In ‘Ivy’, I’m once again drawn to exploring childhood scars, but this time through the way those early scars physically appear through the body,” she meditates. “What’s always been interested in me is the theme of abandonment: how it leaves that mark on the body, how it physically manifests itself, and how post-traumatic stress states remain after experiences of abuse.”
Her character reminds her of Ivy, that hardy plant. “A plant that grows without warning – often without planting it, sometimes without being wanted,” she says.
“So for me it has become a symbol — something with acidic energy I am drawing, something I want to explore. It has a kind of symbolic weight that I feel is suitable for what I am trying to express,” she says of her title choice.
With the exception of Simone Bucio (‘The Untamed’), who plays Azusenna, most of the cast is non-Pros, led by Francis Eddulmikinga, who plays Giulio.
There is something about the wounds that form during childhood and adolescence, and those years. I also really enjoy working with young men. Because they feel like they have something hypnotism or raw,” she tells Variety.
“Working with non-professional actors adds that,” she says. “Edu and the other boys are natural actors who already have a certain depth and experience of life. You can see it in their gestures, their faces, their way they inhabit the space.”
To prepare for their role, they spent about five months in acting workshops with Barragan’s regular team. “We spent a lot of time working together in advance to build that trust and connection. After that, I rehearsed with them. I sought out the improvisation little by little, and did a lot of exercises that had nothing to do with the film itself.
“The Ivy” is produced by Botón Films (Ecuador), BHD Films (Mexico), Ciné Sud Promotion (France), and Guspira Films (Spain).
Mexican Cara Sousa (“Dive”), who was originally trying to play the lead, assisting in the development of the project, had to step down and serve as executive producer.
After Toronto, Barragan took her film to the San Sebastian Film Festival, where she registered with the city’s famous Elias Kelejeta Film School, while developing the script.
The drama won a special Ciné+ award and a CCAS award in 2025 for the ongoing Ciné latino Toulouse Films.
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Anna Christina Barragan, credit: Joe Hoolberg
