The Longest Distance

Caracas is an urban nightmare, with its traffic chaos and sudden violence. Lucas, age ten, lives with his parents in a strained relationship, not realizing their divorce is pending. When his mother is brutally murdered, distraught Lucas finds papers indicating she was about to reunite with her estranged mother Martina in the remote Gran Sabana region, where the family has a vacation home. Lucas runs away, taking a bus on the long journey and hoping to meet his grandmother. Meanwhile, Grandmother Martina makes her way to Gran Sabana from Spain. Dying of cancer, she wishes to end her life in those mountains, where her husband disappeared years ago. THE LONGEST DISTANCE is a beautiful and touching film that speaks bluntly about the journey of life and death, about letting go of bitter feelings so we can shorten the emotional distance between us. It’s about freedom of choice and second chances in life. A brilliant performance by Spanish actress Carme Elías as Martina. (In Spanish with subtitles) —B.B.