Netflix tip of the day: I Carry You With Me

Grab the tissues, because this is going to be a real tearjerker. But I actually love that sometimes with a movie, and it can really be a relief. It's really good for you to break those dams every once in a while. Well, with I Carry You With Me, that's going to be just fine. It's now on Netflix, even though it's an older film; it was shown at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) in 2021, but Netflix only recently acquired the rights.

It's the first feature film by Heidi Ewing, who was previously nominated for an Oscar for her documentary Jesus Camp. This film was also received very well, so there's a good chance that Ewing won't stick to just documentaries for long.

I Carry You With Me is based on a true story; Iván (played by Armando Espitia) decides to leave Mexico and move to New York to make his dream come true. He wants to become a successful chef, and according to him, that move is necessary, even if it means leaving his soulmate behind in Mexico.

His soulmate is the teacher Gerardo (played by Christian Vázquez), and the departure of his love to New York means the start of a new life for both of them. For Iván, a life in The Big Apple, the city that never sleeps, and for Gerardo, a life in the countryside of Mexico. Two gigantic opposites, both beautifully portrayed in the film.

Visually, this is really a treat: it is so beautifully filmed and manages to depict these two extremes very cleverly. Truly a film to dream away with. And to cry very, very hard at.