Summary:
La casa entre los cactus marks the directorial debut of Carlota González-Adrio. The film was shot on the outskirts of Las Palmas and features a compelling ensemble led by Ariadna Gil, known for Soldados de Salamina and Parking, alongside Daniel Grao and Ricardo Gómez. The story follows Emilio and Rosa, a couple who have built a quiet, secluded life in the Canary Islands for their five daughters named Lis, Iris, Melissa, Lila, and Dalia. The family inhabits a private paradise, far removed from the noise of civilization and the world they left behind back home. This secluded haven, however, is not free from threat. A danger looms that could unravel the family’s peace and possibly change their lives forever. Emilio and Rosa carry a secret they have guarded for years, aware that its revelation could fracture the fragile balance they have maintained. The film unfolds as a tense meditation on loyalty, protection, and the costs of keeping peace at any price, all set within a landscape that contrasts the warmth of family with an encroaching outside world. The adults move through this space with a careful tenderness, knowing that the clock is always ticking for their daughters who are blissfully unaware, each girl embodied by a different flower and a distinct personality that adds color to the home they share. The narrative weaves together themes of memory, inheritance, and the limits of parental love as the house among the cactus becomes a character in its own right, guarding a past that refuses to stay buried. The tension escalates as the external world begins to intrude, testing the family’s resolve and forcing a confrontation with the truth that Emilio and Rosa have guarded for so long. This film invites viewers to consider how far parents will go to protect their children and what happens when the shelter they provide becomes a cage. [Citation: Production notes and festival presentations]