SOLITARY FRAGMENTS -- La soledad (Jaime Rosales, Spain, 128 min., 2007 with Sonia Almarcha, Petra Martinez, Miriam Correa, Nuria Mencia)

The beautifully nuanced performances of both Sonia Almarcha as Adela and Petra Martínez as Antonia, as well as Rosales' keen ability to portray isolation and beauty in the apparently mundane world, makes Solitary Fragments a supreme delicacy not to be missed. Having premiered at the Cannes Film Festival's Un Certain Regard section, the film swept 3 Goyas (Spanish Cinema Awards), including Best Picture and Best Director.

Adela lives a quiet life in rural Spain with her son Miguelito. Hoping for more from life, she moves with her son to Madrid, where they share an apartment with a couple, Ines and Carlos. Elder Antonia watches her family tear itself apart in a dispute over money. Stylish yet thoughtful and far from melodrama, the film takes you by the hand towards a shocking ending in a film difficult to forget.