199 Tips To Be Happy

During an exorbitantly sweltering summer in Barcelona, a Chilean couple, Tomás and Helena, receive an unexpected visit. The visitor is Sandra, the girlfriend of Helena's younger brother, who disappeared without trace after diving off a rock into the water right in front of Sandra. Sandra isn't in a hurry and seems to want to extend her stay. When her hostess falls ill and Tomás has the unenviable task of trying to sell the umpteenth self-help book of his publisher's, young Sandra slowly but surely manages to wind both adults around her little finger. She's soon leading her own life outside the house, but lies about it. Back home, in the small apartment, she evokes as much sympathy as lust and what was once a stable relationship slowly but surely becomes unsettled. 2009 International Film Festival Rotterdam