It's not often that stories centered on ordinary people become captivating, but when placed against a backdrop of something unusual, they gain a new level of interest, as demonstrated by Lila Avilés’s second film. This gentle, touching, and somewhat sad comedy-drama recounts the story of a family planning a birthday party for Tona, a cherished artist struggling with advanced cancer (played by Mateo Garcia Elizondo), primarily through the eyes of his seven-year-old daughter, Sol (Naíma Sentíes), who desperately wants her father to get better. As the events unfold, audiences observe Tona’s family preparing for the party – often involving seemingly small tasks that are portrayed with amusing and unexpected moments offering a welcome bit of humor – as well as how his loved ones are coping (or not) with what appears to be an unavoidable situation that no one is eager to confront. What could easily become a strained get-together overshadowed by sadness ultimately emerges as a heartfelt tribute to life, despite the clear presence of an unwelcome and unspoken element hovering nearby. Though the film includes some scenes that feel somewhat disconnected from the main story, “Tótem” delivers a lovely, genuine account that connects with viewers and envelops them in sincere affection and a comforting sense of warmth. This National Board of Review winner and Independent Spirit Award nominee is a wonderful, relatively obscure independent film that will likely affect you emotionally, even if it leaves you feeling conflicted as the story progresses. It shows that there can be moments of immense happiness even when sadness is present, but what’s most important is how we handle those situations, particularly in expressing our feelings for the people we care about.

Source on TMDB