Edgar

• Who Can Direct? Anyone

Fifteen year old Edgar Olivera lives with his family in Paysandú, Uruguay. Instead of attending school, he works with his dad, Luis, doing small jobs called “changuitas”, which consist of fixing/building houses, yardwork, or farmwork. When Luis and Edgar return home from working on a house one day, they drink yerba mate while Edgar’s siblings play. Edgar’s sister Belén loves her Rosary, a beaded necklace with a cross. Favio, Edgar’s brother, steals her Rosary, and in an attempt to get it back, it breaks. Later, Belén asks Edgar to fix it. That same night, Luis decides to leave the family after having an argument with his 3 month pregnant wife Izela about his supposed cheating and lack of concern. This sends Izela into a depressed and alcoholic state and Edgar has to take care of his siblings. Edgar takes them to school one morning and when he returns home, his mother is selling their toys and clothes to provide money. Edgar gets upset and tells her not to do this. He leaves and goes to work. At work, he is reminded of his father and it only makes things worse. He sits for a while, collecting his thoughts and basking in his anger toward Luis. When he goes to pick his siblings up from school, they see their mom fighting with another woman in the neighborhood. Edgar sends his siblings off to the grandma’s house, who lives nearby. He goes, breaks up the fight, and assertively tells his mom that she needs to let their grandma take care of the kids for a little bit. Later, Edgar is tucking his sister Belén into bed, and she says that she can’t sleep without her Rosary. Edgar returns home to retrieve it. He finds the cross and puts it back on the necklace. He hears crying from the bathroom, where he finds his mom with a bloodied tissue, sitting on the floor. She has lost her future child. Edgar sits down with her. She confesses that it was her fault for letting her husband’s actions affect the way she was raising them. Edgar holds her, and gives her the Rosary that has an inscription of John 14:18-19. She reads this and weeps. Edgar encourages her and sees through her insecurities and doubts, requesting that she come see her other children. She does, and they all embrace at grandma’s house. Some time in the near future, Edgar is continuing to work on the house that he and his father had started together. He looks toward a brighter future for his family.