Julita, seventy-something mother of Spanish actor Gustavo Salmerón, was always a pack rat, so when she inherited a castle, there was finally a place to store her vast accumulations. The castle, of course, came with its own fair share of clutter, and the search for a curious family heirloom gives the picture a strangely irresistible element to drive it forward. From Salmerón’s 14 years of skilfully edited footage, we’re treated to Julita’s mad passionate relationships with her many offspring and, yes, the perky yet melancholy tale of the monkey. A jaunty, funny, incisive and poignant documentary. – Greg Klymkiw, The Film Corner

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