VERTICAL LOVE

Arturo Sotto Diaz's hilarious second film is a daring satirical comedy set among the decaying vestiges of Havana's once-impressive architecture, where even a totally run-down apartment is hard to come by. VERTICAL LOVE is the tale of two young lovers who defy all odds – spatial, parental, political and existential – to be together. Estela, a depressed young architect whose plan for improved low-income housing has been rejected by the government, is taken to a psychiatric hospital after a suicide attempt. She's admitted by Ernesto, a nurse who often pretends he is a psychologist when attractive young women arrive on his ward. Love blossoms initially, but when daily hardships begin to take their toll on the relationship, Ernesto packs it in. Estela is devastated and goes after him, but before he goes back to her he must come to terms with the lies he has told her. Sotto Diaz's irreverent look at Cuban life is also a tender and passionate – and truly enjoyable – love story charged with surreal situations. – Toronto Film Festival. (In Spanish with English subtitles)