Fest Track On Sirk TV Film Review: THE FORTUNATE ISLES [Toronto International Film Festival - Toronto, Ontario]

The aspect of conquering of a barren land depends on the life it changes of those who call it home. “The Fortunate Isles (World Premiere/Discovery) explores the locals of the Canary Islands in the 15th Century who were colonized by Spain and the Crown Of Castile. The story mainly follows Fatima (Luisa Ahl Laabiad), a slave to a failing Marquis who is dying and starving while his son sits on his throne on the main island (though not doing much better). Fatima and her paramour are enslaved to these men while the other people on the island start to die of thirst. It is a story of occupation and not necessarily ruling because everyone seems to be suffering. There is no spring or clean water and there has been no rain for a long time. Both the Marquis and his son are very stubborn but their reasoning on why one space is more important than another is purely at times transactional.

The son simply wants to sell the island though beyond its conquering is not his to begin with. Fatima is torn between the kindness and also cruelty the Marquis has shown her. She does have to undertake a journey but it is because of actions taken by the conquered people of her island. The narrative is bleak to be sure but they are thinking only of the short term. A man comes in one night and begs and threatens Fatima for water for his dying infant daughter. There is a bit of non-actor tendency to the assailant but it ring true. The journey actually ends as cold as it begins Luisa Ahl Laabiad plays Fatima with a world weariness and knowing but also a sense of right. The eventual resolution is both cyclical, tragic but also very human. But what directors Helena Girón and Samuel Delgado do in the final moments transcends the story because of what it speaks to: the circle of life, even if it comes out not quite what was hoped 80%/B-

By Tim Wassberg