Robe of Gems. 2022. Mexico/Argentina. Directed by Natalia López Gallardo. Spanish; English subtitles. 118 min.
Deep in the Mexican countryside, a community is plagued by the constant threat of looming violence. Here, three women from different social classes—a maid, her wealthy employer, and a police officer—become tragically affected by a missing-person case related to organized crime. A work of accruing power and sinister depths simmering below a placid surface, Robe of Gems is the accomplished, unsettlingly oblique debut feature by Berlin Film Festival Silver Bear–winner Natalia López Gallardo (previously an editor for such filmmakers as Carlos Reygadas and Lisandro Alonso). Filled with unshakable images, Robe of Gems weaves an ever-expanding web of characters touched by violence, trauma, and daily rupture.