Hyde Park Pick: The Blue Trail

Gabriel Mascaro’s dystopian drama paints a world in which ageism has been institutionalised to the point of no return, quite literally. Despite the authoritarian premise of the film, The Blue Trail sets a more affirmative tone than one might expect: the narrative is wonderfully sanguine, and the characters, especially Tereza (Denise Weinberg) exude resilience and a zest for life in a way that is infectious.

Her journey – half road trip, half self-discovery – leads us to fantastical places and mythical creatures, bordering on the obscure and intangible. With snails that let you see the future and gladiator-like fish fights, Mascaro adds a touch of magical realism to his social observations.

By swimming against the current, Tereza, along with new companion Roberta (Miriam Socarrás), fights the good fight and reminds us that personal freedom doesn’t have an age restriction.

The film won the Silver Bear Grand Jury Prize at Berlin Film Festival last year – and rightly so.

The Blue Trail is showing from Fri 01 Mar. You can find times & tickets here.