Simón Mesa Soto’s first short film, Leidi, won the Short Film Palme d’Or in 2014, but as he is quick to rightfully point out, we shouldn’t mistake early acclaim and festival runs for superstardom and financial freedom. Soto is still very much an independent filmmaker and is open about how difficult it is to finance and shoot his films in Colombia. A Poet, his second full-length feature, is a film born of and in conversation with these struggles.
The film centers on Oscar Restrepo, a man who loves poetry. But poetry doesn’t really love him back. The success he’s spent his life yearning for never arrived. Neither did the financial security. He’s aging and becoming increasingly desperate. Again, Soto is open about how his own complicated relationship with his passion for artistic pursuits is woven throughout his script and film. Oscar is played by newcomer Ubeimar Rios. Originally, Soto was looking for a professional actor to lead A Poet, but as he discusses in our Awards Buzz interview, there was just something about Rios he couldn’t let go of, and casting him ultimately reshaped the character. Still, Oscar may be a bit more idiosyncratic, but he is very much a stand-in for Soto himself. A Poet acts as a therapeutic exercise for Soto and anyone who has ever had a creative pursuit. A Poet is deeply, deeply relatable. And funny.
After another acclaimed run at Cannes and TIFF, and an Indie Spirit nomination, A Poet begins its theatrical run on January 30. Watch our interview with Simón Mesa Soto to learn more about the film, its star, and its director—a man who loves filmmaking, even if it’s driving him a little crazy. And given how good A Poet is, I’d say, filmmaking loves him back.
A Poet begins playing in select theaters on January 30. Head to their website for tickets and additional dates and information. Watch the full trailer below:
