The Resilience and Strength of the Women in Volver

The Resilience and Strength of the Women in Volver

Volver (Almodovar 2006) is a capturing film that brilliantly tells a vivid story that melodramatically focuses on the relationships, tribulations and victories that women (particularly in this family) experience. The bright and vivid colors exaggerate the personalities of some of the women and the constant use of bright red appeared to symbolize adversity. The mise- en- scene, camera shots and dramatic sound effects (especially the melancholy music) heightens the films attribution to the strength and resiliency of the women portrayed. This paper will discuss the importance of the bonds and loyalty exemplified by the women that they maintain despite the tribulations that they struggle to overcome.

The film opens with an appearing, never ending pan left , wide shot , of groups of women at a cemetery cleaning and beautifying the graves of their loved ones. The camera zooms in on the main characters , Raimunda, her daughter and Sole Raimunda's sister. The three ladies have returned to their home town to maintain the up keep of their parent's / grandparents' grave. Their parents were seemingly killed in a bush fire several years ago. The opening of the film immediately gives the viewer the idea that these women albeit part of their culture unite to take on a heart felt task by showing several women cleaning the graves. This motif of unity and loyalty is repeated throughout the entire film.

The bind between a Raimunda and her daughter also exemplifies unity in the time of adversity. In this scene Ramiunda comes home from work to find Paula (her daughter) crying and distressed. Paula wearing a bright red sweater attempts to reveal to her mother the terrible experience which occurred while she was at work. As she tells Raimunda what happened this part of the film is composed of a series of closeups capturing the lavish emotions displayed between the duo. The mise- en -scene , lighting and sound in this scene appealingly illuminates this turning point in the film. Raimunda discovers Paco lying in a pool of bright red blood after he made an attempt to rape Paula. In this scene the low key lighting and melancholy music set the scene to be mischievous and mysterious. The mother and daughter schlepped Paco's body down the steps and across the street ( avoiding being seen by others) to a restaurant owned by a friend of Raimunda's. Once they arrive to the restaurant Raimunda hides the body in the freezer while Paula is made to be a look out. Raimunda develops a lie to explain her deceased husbands absence and the two are bonded by the secret and the adversity that they experienced.

While Raimunda and her daughter dealt with their dilemma another family tragedy that leads to another bond between this families women emerged. Sole and Raimunda's dearest aunt Paula passed away and