Saturday, June 13 screening preceded by an introduction from Must-Watch Indies series programmer Marya E. Gates and a post-screening Q&A with RogerEbert.com Associate Editor Robert Daniels

Structured in four chapters, writer/director Simón Mesa Soto’s absurd tragicomedy A Poet is a satirical, yet empathetic look at the cost of living a creative life under the crippling weight of late stage capitalism. 

Featuring a cast of fresh new faces, Soto’s sophomore feature film stars newcomer Ubeimar Rios as Oscar Restrepo, a poet who saw some success in his youth, but has been unable to write since the birth of daughter Daniela (Allison Correa), now a teenager prepping for college. Still living at home with his mother in Medellín, Columbia, Oscar remains lost in the shadows of his former glory, slowly drinking his life away as he fades into obscurity. That is, until he meets Yurlady (Rebeca Andrade), a teenager whose natural talent he hopes to cultivate. As he helps her prepare for an important poetry event, he soon finds he can’t protect her for those who wish to exploit her impoverished background. 

First-time actor Rios brings the exquisite comic timing and pathos of a much more seasoned performer, while his languid physicality gives the film a riotous, darkly cartoonish absurdity. Cinematographer Juan Sarmiento G. wraps the whole film in the warm glow of Super 16mm, using Dogme 95 style whip pans and crash zooms to heighten the hilarity at the heart of Soto’s  insightful script. A Poet premiered in the Un Certain Regard section of the 78th Cannes Film Festival and was nominated for Best International Film from this year’s Spirit Awards.