Last night, I sobbed my heart out in a darkened room. I stifled my cries with my jumper, wiped my tears on my sleeve and mopped my snotty nose with the greasy napkin that I’d been spitting my olive pips into.

Javier Bardem, Hanna Bouchaib & Guillermo Estrella

I was at Screen on The Green, in Islington, north London, watching the aptly named film, Biutiful, by Mexican director, Alejandro González Iñárritu. Starring the mesmerising Javier Bardem, the film tells the heart rendering story of a loving and dedicated father trying his best to support his two children, against the gritty backdrop of Spain’s petty criminal, black market.

Hanna Bouchaib and Guillermo Estrella put in great performances as his children. With Maricel Alvarez putting in a sadly realistic portrayal of their messed up mother.

Maricel Alvarez

The tale is wonderfully written – full of twists and turns the entire way. And whilst bleak in many ways, the film is also truly beautiful. When it ended, I needed to just sit still for a moment and catch my breath. I loved every minute of it.

I almost ended this review just there, totally forgetting to mention that the film is subtitled, as it’s in Spanish. After the first five minutes, you don’t even notice.