Ema
A fiercely sensual dancer turns guilt, reggaeton, and unconventional desire into a strategy for reclaiming her fractured family.
Overview
A dancer's quest for redemption leads her through the vibrant streets of Valparaíso, where love and loss intertwine.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- None
- sensual
- restless
- provocative
- arthouse film night
- dance film showcase
What critics said
Critics broadly praised the film as a beautifully filmed, powerfully acted, and distinctive drama of emotional trauma and self-discovery.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Ema's work as a dancer and the film's recurring choreography make bodily movement central to its emotional and narrative language.
Ema pursues an unconventional plan to rebuild her family after adoption and separation disrupt her relationship with Gastón.
The port city of Valparaíso, its streets, clubs, and reggaeton culture form the film's distinctive social environment.
Ema's attempts to overcome guilt involve deception, sexuality, and ethically difficult choices without reducing her to a conventional villain or victim.
Films like Ema, and why
The Holy Girl
shared emotional trauma, sexuality, unconventional relationships, and formally vivid arthouse drama
Climax
shared focus on dance, female desire, bodily expression, and transgressive self-discovery
Gloria
shared Chilean setting, intimate psychological drama, and morally complicated relationships
The Skin I Live In
shared stylized melodrama, sexual fluidity, and fractured approaches to parenthood and identity
Movie Details
- Director
- Pablo Larraín
- Release Date
- 2019-09-26
- Runtime
- 107 min
- Rating
- 6.7 / 10 (257)
Cast
- Mariana di Girolamo
- Gael García Bernal
- Santiago Cabrera
- Paola Giannini
- Cristián Suárez
- Mariana Loyola
- Catalina Saavedra
- Susana Hidalgo
- Josefina Fiebelkorn
- Giannina Fruttero
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Philo, Brew, OVID, MUBI Amazon Channel, Fandor Amazon Channel, Darkroom, Netflix Standard with Ads, Amazon Prime Video with Ads
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Spectrum On Demand, Pijama Films
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Ema about?
- A fiercely sensual dancer turns guilt, reggaeton, and unconventional desire into a strategy for reclaiming her fractured family.
- What is Ema like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Ema as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Ema violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in Ema.
- What did critics think of Ema?
- Critics broadly praised the film as a beautifully filmed, powerfully acted, and distinctive drama of emotional trauma and self-discovery.
- Which films are like Ema?
- Films with a similar feel include The Holy Girl, Climax, Gloria, and The Skin I Live In.
- How long is Ema?
- Ema runs 107 minutes.
- Where can I watch Ema?
- In United States, Ema streams on Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Philo, Brew, OVID, MUBI Amazon Channel, Fandor Amazon Channel, Darkroom, Netflix Standard with Ads, Amazon Prime Video with Ads.
