Tótem poster

Tótem

6.8(100)20231h 35m2

In a bustling Mexican household, seven-year-old Sol is swept up in a whirlwind of preparations for the birthday party for her father, Tona, led by her mother, aunts, and other relatives. As the day goes on, building to an event both anticipated and dreaded, Sol begins to understand the gravity of the celebration this year and watches as her family does the same.

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Status
Released
Budget
—
Box office
$163.4K
Language
English

Top billed cast

Behind the camera

Director

Lila Avilés

Produced in

Denmark, France, Mexico

Where to watch

Availability for United States. Provided by JustWatch through the TMDB API.

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Gallery

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Videos

Release dates

  • IndiaIN

    • PremiereJio MAMI Mumbai Film Festival27 Oct 2023
  • United StatesUS

    • PremiereNew Directors/New Films30 Mar 2023
    • PremiereMinneapolis St. Paul International Film Festival15 Apr 2023
    • PremiereAFI Latin American Film Festival21 Sept 2023
    • PremiereWoodstock Film Festival28 Sept 2023
    • PremiereMill Valley Film Festival13 Oct 2023
    • PremiereChicago International Film Festival14 Oct 2023
    • PremierePhiladelphia Film Festival20 Oct 2023
    • PremiereAFI Fest26 Oct 2023
    • PremiereMontclair Film Festival27 Oct 2023
    • Theatrical (limited)Academy Run3 Nov 2023
    • PremiereDenver Film Festival11 Nov 2023
    • Theatrical (limited)MoMA - The Contenders25 Nov 2023
    • Theatrical (limited)26 Jan 2024
    • PremiereMilwaukee Film Festival23 Apr 2024
  • United KingdomGB

    • PremiereBFI London Film Festival9 Oct 2023
    • Theatrical12A1 Dec 2023
  • AustraliaAU

    • PremiereMelbourne International Film Festival3 Aug 2023
  • BrazilBR

    • PremiereRio de Janeiro International Film Festival6 Oct 2023
  • CzechiaCZ

    • PremiereKarlovy Vary International Film Festival30 Jun 2023
  • DenmarkDK

    • Premiere20 Aug 2024
    • Theatrical20 Aug 2024
    • Digital / OTT20 Aug 2024
  • FranceFR

    • Theatrical27 Mar 2024
    • Theatrical30 Oct 2024
    • PhysicalDVD10 Feb 2025
  • GermanyDE

    • PremiereBerlin International Film Festival20 Feb 2023
    • Theatrical69 Nov 2023
  • GreeceGR

    • Theatrical11 Apr 2024
  • Hong KongHK

    • PremiereHong Kong International Film Festival6 Apr 2023
  • IndonesiaID

    • Premiere13+Jakarta Film Week27 Oct 2023

Frequently asked questions

Tótem was released on 7 September 2023.

Audience reviews

3
  • C

    CinemaSerf

    12/5/2023

    7/10

    I'm not usually fan of children in films, but boy - Naíma Sentíes' performance here as the young "Sol" is terrific. She, replete with multicoloured curly wig is with her mother preparing for a party to celebrate her father's birthday. What we learn from very early on is that her dad "Tona" (Mateo Garcia) is very unwell. Indeed, from the brief scene we see of him in the shower - this is a twenty-seven year old not des…

  • B

    Brent Marchant

    2/11/2024

    8/10

    The everyday lives of average individuals ordinarily might not make for especially engaging storytelling. However, when they’re framed within the context of extraordinary circumstances, they take on an added new dimension, as witnessed in the second offering from Mexican writer-director Lila Avilés. This warm, heartfelt, bittersweet comedy-drama tells the endearing story of a family hosting a birthday party for Tona,…

  • B

    badelf

    7/19/2026

    9/10

    Summary: 9/10: Lila Avilés and her extraordinary cast, led by Naíma Sentíes, create a slice-of-life and deeply humanistic portrait of family that finds hilarity, sadness, and love in the daily rhythms of a crowded Mexican household. Lila Avilés' Totem is a hilarious and heartbreaking slice-of-life that captures something most Westerners will find utterly alien: a crowded house full of family, the beautiful cha…

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