Moving, sweet, and surprisingly uncompromising.
Wolfgang is ten-years old, is on the autism spectrum, and has an IQ in the 150s. His great passion is playing the piano, encouraged by his mother, who was a professional pianist. After his mother’s sudden death, Wolfgang is sent to live with his father Carles, whom he has never met. A jobbing actor, who lives a messy, unpredictable life, Carles tries his best to understand his son, and to help him deal with the trauma of his mother’s death, the cause of which has not yet been explained to Wolfgang.
Based on the best-selling novel by Laia Aguilar, Wolfgang is moving, and delightful feature, with a fairly predictable narrative arc. Director Javier Ruiz Caldera manages to lift the predictability with unexpected moments of charm, humour, and authentic pathos.
Miki Esparbé is charm galore as Carles, who we need to have some sympathy for lest he become a standard-trope deadbeat dad. Young Jordi Catalán gives an extraordinarily nuanced performance as the eponymous Wolfgang, allowing us to feel his pain and confusion, but also giving us a difficult and sometimes unpleasant child. Caldera has avoided creating an unimpeachable angel. The supporting cast is made up of some solid actors, who all contribute to the richness of the work.
An exploration of difficult and contentious issues such as mental illness, suicide, autism, childhood genius, and estranged fathers, Wolfgang is yet heart-warming, and also at times gently humorous.
Wolfgang is currently showing as part of the HSBC Spanish Film Festival and Palace Nova Eastend and Prospect.
For further information, click here.
For screening times and to book tickets, click here.
More News
