The death of a daughter serves as the starting point for the plot of After Kim, the new cinematic production by Ángeles González-Sinde. The film, which premieres this Friday, uses the initial shock to delve into family relationships and personal reconstruction, blending elements of drama and thriller with touches of humor.
“"My films are generally stories that have a very dramatic trigger, a loss, and then we see how that person rebuilds themselves."
The young woman's parents, who resided in Buenos Aires, travel to Benidorm to uncover the circumstances of their daughter's death. Kim's violent death is the core of the narrative, but primarily serves as a pretext to revisit a maternal-paternal-filial triangle that never functioned properly. Guilt is one of the feelings that articulates the story, reflecting the protagonists' sense of failure as parents.
The character played by the lead actor embodies this emotional drift, moving from initial annoyance at news of his estranged daughter to an obsession with the case. The story shows how the characters gradually discover a daughter they never knew, on an emotional and narrative journey that the actor describes as a "roller coaster."
The film is based on a novel of the same name by González-Sinde, in which Benidorm was not originally featured. The Alicante city was incorporated into the film adaptation, with the intention of portraying it without resorting to caricature. The director emphasized the importance of filming in Benidorm carefully, as the city, known for its holiday atmosphere, contrasts with the characters' grief, creating a unique context for the story.
The character of Kim, though absent, is present throughout the film through the objects and places that defined her. The editing process was crucial in shaping the final story, with a significant reduction in the original footage to allow space for audience interpretation.
