A Story for the Modlins

A filmmaker's dream came true for director Sergio Oksman. Quite by chance he received a box full of photos, letters, papers and a VHS tape that once belonged to an American family called the Modlins. From this archive material, he distilled the remarkable story of ambitious artist Margaret, her husband (and fame-hungry actor) Elmer, and their son Nelson. The film begins with a long scene from , the only film of any importance in which Elmer performed - as an extra. Oksman then uses the photographs to trace the history of the family, who, due to a lack of success, left America for Spain, where the couple completely withdrew from society and dedicated their lives to Margaret’s creative development. Oksman puts his sparse material (which includes a letter from the artist to her highly manipulated son) to effective use: the black-and-white photos, taken over a period of several years from the same spot in the Spanish apartment, tell of Margaret's neurotic artistic mood swings, her son's submissiveness and her husband's worship. The is a VHS tape recorded by a visitor. She films the couple as they show her around their home, strewn with impressive works of art. These are the last images of a life of promise unfulfilled.