Family is one of the bonds we don’t really get to choose, and for better or for worse, they’re the bonds that form the foundation of our lives. Familia depicts this bond faithfully, as Leo’s remaining family, his three adult daughters, all travel back to the family’s olive orchard to decide on its fate. The way the bond is depicted feels realistic, as each of the family members can confront each other with their choices in the one time of the year they can do so. The film is able to make it work with its excellent cast, and carefully written dialogue that makes the conversation flow naturally. While Familia isn’t a holiday film, it’s a fairly realistic depiction of a family gathering and a timely film to watch before heading home to your family for the holidays.

Family gatherings on screen are often fraught with tension, since every decision each member makes can affect the entire family. Famila centers most of the plot in one of these gatherings, and this choice traps the characters, and the viewers, in that dining area– the same way plenty of family gatherings feel. This choice works, especially with the strong performance of the cast and the careful way each information is revealed about the family, including what they’re currently doing, what they try to infer from other members of the family, and what they feel about the family as a whole. This does make most of the plot having to rely on dialogue, being more tell than show, but the film’s execution mirrors that real life experience in such a real way.