Seven-year-old Sol walks into her grandfather’s house where birthday party preparations are underway for her painter father, Tona. Although Sol was excited with her mom in a public bathroom a moment ago, her pure face is rarely found in the film after that moment. Sol misses her father, who has been sick for a long time. Little Sol becomes more and more quiet and somber as she thinks of her father, who is probably somewhere in the house, unseen by his family, struggling to show up at the party and meet his daughter. Unlike Sol, the house becomes increasingly noisy and bustling. The grandfather, aunts, cousins, and uncles gather to spend a joyful day, while even a shaman visits to cure Tona’s illness. Furthermore, the film depicts a series of simultaneous appearances of extended family members and anecdotes from them. On the other hand, it illustrates a serene picture of the day through Sol’s eyes and senses. As Sol wanders the house alone, detached from the adult world, the things she sees, touches, and feels are infused with the infinite vitality of living nature. Mexican filmmaker Lila Avilés’s second feature, Tótem, was an entry in the main competition at this year’s Berlinale. [JEONG Jihye]