THE LIGHTER SIDE

Hopelessly Devout

Mi Querida Cofradía

MARTA DÍAZ DE LOPE DÍAZ
Spain, 2018
90 minutes, Color
Official website

Carmen, an elderly church activist, is an admired member of the stodgy "brotherhood" that carries out a procession during one of Spain's legendary Holy Week pageants. But the women want to wear makeup and shorter skirts. Most of all, they want recognition of the women who are in reality playing a leading role. Even though Carmen has overwhelming support from both women and men, the parish priest announces that the election for society president goes to Ignacio, a smug male chauvinist. Carmen is livid and vows to fight back. There follows a frenetic series of nonstop flops, fumbles, and stumbles in this comedy of errors that mocks the old-fashioned world of Spanish religion. For director Marta Díaz de Lope Díaz, laughter is the weapon of choice in the fight for female empowerment. Hopelessly Devout won the Audience Award at Spain's Malaga Film Festival. —Miguel Pendás

In Spanish with English subtitles