THE VIRGIN OF THE QUARRY LAKE

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Mixing elements of magical realism with a coming-of-age narrative that also tackles class division and economic malaise, Laura Casabé (The Returned) makes The Virgin of the Quarry Lake into an intriguing fable where teenage desire explodes in a white-hot ball of fury. Set in the suburbs of Buenos Aires shortly after Argentina’s 2001 economic crisis began, the movie evokes a specificity of time and place that feels lived-in from the first frame. Leisurely mise-en-scène added to urgent emotional trauma results in an engaging cinematic mystery where anything can happen.
Based on two short stories from author Mariana Enriquez’s collection The Dangers of Smoking in Bed, the film stars Dolores Oliverio as Natalia—or Nati—whose mother decamped for Spain some years ago, leaving her with Grandma Rita (Luisa Merelas). School is out for the summer, so Nati spends her days with friends Josefina (Isabel Bracamonte) and Mariela (Candela Flores), along with Diego (Agustín Sosa), her longtime crush. All the signs point towards a romantic consummation of Nati and Diego’s expected relationship, until the older and more worldly Silvia (Fernanda Echeverría) shows up out of seeming nowhere.
The quarry of the title is a location introduced to the group by Silvia, who tells fantastical-sounding yarns of kids, killed in the past by the quarry-owner’s dogs, who are now honored nearby in a makeshift memorial. She also talks nonstop about where she’s traveled to and who she knows, but since Diego likes her, the other girls tag along, swimming in the lake or sunning themselves on the shore. All the while, Nati looks on, unhappy but unsure what to do, until she finally discovers her inner voice, filled with power.
The Virgin of the Quarry Lake proceeds at a slow pace befitting the summer vibe, but there are signs here and there of hysteria bubbling just beneath the surface, starting with an opening scene involving a homeless man on Nati’s street. One of her neighbors beats up the poor guy, after which he utters a curse. Whether what ensues comes from that malediction or from other mystical forces is never entirely clear, by design.
Eventually, petty jealousies morph into something more serious, especially once Silvia and Diego officially become an item. National and personal anxieties intermingle, to bloody results. Casabé proves quite effective in her light use of horror tropes as the stakes rise, her young performers all more than up to what is asked of them. Elliptical though this allegory may be, it remains a gripping experience throughout.
– Christopher Llewellyn Reed (@ChrisReedFilm)
2025 Sundance Film Festival; Laura Casabé; The Virgin of the Quarry Lake