Mexican director Fernando Eimbcke's fifth feature, 'Flies,' has premiered in competition at the Berlin Film Festival. The film brings together a lonely nine-year-old boy and a solitary retiree amid a family health crisis. It continues Eimbcke's return to filmmaking after a 12-year hiatus.
Fernando Eimbcke follows his 2025 film 'Olmo' with 'Flies,' a modest drama that explores emotional connections through subtle storytelling. Premiering in the Berlinale's competition—Eimbcke's first since 'Lake Tahoe' in 2008—the movie centers on Olga, a 60-something retiree played by Teresita Sánchez, who lives a quiet life in her orderly Mexico City apartment. Irritated by persistent flies, she reluctantly rents out a spare room for extra income during lean times.
The room's occupants are Cristian, an energetic nine-year-old portrayed by Bastian Escobar, and his weary father, Hugo Ramírez. They seek temporary lodging near a city hospital where Cristian's mother undergoes long-term cancer treatment. Cristian, viewing the hospital as a place to get better, spends unsupervised hours at a local arcade game, using imagination to cope with his anxieties. Olga, initially opposed to families as tenants, discovers the deception but allows them to stay when the father secures casual employment, forcing her into an unexpected child-minding role.
Shot in crisp monochrome by María Secco, the film contrasts the soft light of Olga's apartment with the harsh outdoor glare, emphasizing her sanctuary. Sound design by Javier Umpierrez captures the city's distant chatter and the arcade's electronic noises, underscoring themes of isolation and intrusion. The script, co-written by Eimbcke and Vanesa Garnica, hints at Olga's past through objects like jigsaw puzzles and a salsa CD, without over-explaining her reluctance to form bonds.
Escobar brings natural restlessness to Cristian, while Sánchez delivers a performance of contained emotion and emerging warmth. 'Flies' avoids formulaic sentiment, instead highlighting similarities between the characters across generational divides, offering brief solace amid tragedy. Produced by Teorema and Kinotitlán in co-production with K&S Films and Nephilim Producciones, the 101-minute film (original title: 'Moscas') was reviewed at Soho Screening Rooms in London on February 9, 2026.
