A Poet: The Lost Soul of Medellin

 By José Alberto Hermosillo

AFI FEST MOVIE REVIEW: “A Poet” is a captivating and witty Colombian drama with comedic elements that soften its darker but universal themes and foster hope for a brighter future.

The story focuses on Oscar, played by newcomer Ubeimar Rios, who powerfully depicts a middle-aged, frustrated, and depressed alcoholic. Years earlier, he published a book of poems in Medellín. His past achievements, honors, and recognition hold him back from pursuing a career as a poet due to ongoing writer’s block. His life changes when his family urges him to accept a high school teaching position, where he begins to see a glimmer of hope in a talented yet underprivileged student.

Director Simón Mesa Soto, a well-educated high school philosophy teacher in Medellín who speaks fluent English, prefers working with non-professional actors. Soto skillfully condensed and transformed his well-structured and solid second project into an award-winning international success, taking it from Colombia to Cannes, where it won the Un Certain Regard Jury Prize, and then to Los Angeles, where it served as the official Colombian Oscar entry in the Best International Feature Film category.

Years ago, when he was about to give up filmmaking, he considered becoming the worst version of himself rather than quitting his passion. While writing the screenplay “A Poet,” he aimed to create an authentic, true-to-himself character. His creative process reflects his genuine beliefs about life. The story begins by highlighting the poet’s struggles, including financial hardship, depression, and alcoholism. The director also mentioned that working as a teacher in Colombia can be tough when it comes to making ends meet.

After screening at the AFI Fest in Los Angeles, the confident director said that while he was searching for the right performer, a friend recommended a high school teacher he knew. After seeing him, Simón hired Ubeimar to join the supporting cast to play one of the other poets. He wasn’t initially convinced that Mr. Ríos was the right person to portray the complex role of the true poet he envisioned.

Taking a risk, Simón chose Mr. Ríos to play Oscar, a decision that changed how the public viewed the character. Ríos trained for two months to naturally perfect his acting technique, calling it a lucky coincidence. In the film, Oscar’s lack of empathy draws others to him, making him the perfect underdog who connects with viewers.

“A Poet” employs a more abstract, atmospheric storytelling style, which Simón described as a return to a rawer approach designed to reconnect with his Colombian audience. He structured the film around a dilemma to reflect the uncertainty in his own life.

On a technical level, shooting on 16mm film gives the project the raw texture the director wanted, resulting in a unique look with vivid colors and sharp resolution.

Oscar is a character lost in the past. Despite facing societal prejudices—along with misunderstandings of minor abuses, battling alcohol and drugs, poverty, and marginalization—he continues on a complex, contradictory path like jazz.

Director Simón Mesa Soto, “A Poet.” Photo by José Alberto Hermosillo, wwwFestivalinLA.com

Simón Mesa Soto explained that his motivation for making the film stemmed from his frustration at not being able to work in cinema as often as he wanted. He surprisingly finished “The Poet” in six months, leading up to its Cannes premiere in May 2025. He mentioned how difficult it is to make a film in his hometown in Colombia, especially when compared to others who spend decades in Los Angeles trying to break into Hollywood without success.

One of the opening scenes of “A Poet” points toward the theater’s exit, when the poet talks with his elderly and sick mother about helping her die and contemplating suicide—a conflicting and personal choice for viewers like me who deeply value life. I’m glad I stayed until the end to enjoy this magnificent film full of light.

There’s a noticeable influence of Soto’s work on that of his fellow countryman, Gabriel García Márquez, which is essential to recognize, although Soto disagrees. “A Poet” hints at Latin American magical realism, similar to the works of the Nobel laureate, who also wrote notable screenplays in Mexico and Cuba including Arturo Ripstein’s debut “Time to Die” (1966), Ruy Guerra’s “Erendida” (1983), and Fernando Birri’s “A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings” (1988).

“A Poet” continues the tradition of films about suicidal alcoholics, similar to Billy Wilder’s “The Lost Weekend,” which won the Oscar for Best Picture in 1945 and portrays intense depression and unrelenting drinking. In Mike Figg’s 1995 film “Leaving Las Vegas,” Nicolas Cage also plays an alcoholic on a suicidal mission in Sin City.

Despite the tragic and disheartening circumstances and the notorious absence of God depicted in “A Poet,” the film also explores themes of innocence, honesty, family values, and awakening—elements that engage the audience and foster appreciation for a very genuine work of art.

The film depicts how society views us when we lose our freedom, trapping us in small shells, isolation, depression, loneliness, and dimming our hopes for the future. Here, the future is symbolized by the youth of the Latin American countries—a vital fountain of resources. Whether they write poems or work in a nail salon, they still hold onto dreams, goals, and desires.

“A Poet” trailer (HD)

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