Broken Embraces 2009

A man navigates through life, love, and creativity shrouded in darkness. Fourteen years prior, he endured a devastating car crash on the island of Lanzarote that not only robbed him of his sight but also resulted in the tragic loss of Lena, the woman he adored more than anything.

This complex individual adopts two identities: Harry Caine, a whimsical alias under which he publishes his literary works, including stories and scripts, and Mateo Blanco, his true name associated with the film he directs. Following the incident, Mateo Blanco relinquished his identity, fading into the persona of Harry Caine. For him, the loss resonates deeply; he believes Mateo Blanco perished alongside his beloved Lena on that fateful day in Lanzarote.

In the present, Harry Caine exists primarily on the basis of his scripts and the unwavering support he receives from his devoted former production manager, Judit García, and her son Diego. As a blind man, he thrives through the richness of his other senses, embracing life with a blend of irony and self-imposed amnesia. He has meticulously erased every trace of his initial identity, Mateo Blanco, from his past.

One fateful night, after an unexpected encounter with recreational drugs, Harry finds himself taking care of Diego, who is recuperating in the absence of his mother, Judit, who is away in Madrid. Rather than alarming her, they choose to keep the situation under wraps. During Diego’s first nights of recovery, curiosity gets the better of him, and he begins to inquire about the time when Harry was known as Mateo Blanco. Caught off guard but unable to decline, Harry reluctantly shares his poignant past with Diego.

He recounts the entwined lives of Mateo, Lena, Judit, and Ernesto Martel, a tale woven with themes of amour fou, overshadowed by destiny, jealousy, abuse, betrayal, and deep-seated guilt. This emotional saga encapsulates a moving yet harrowing narrative, which is epitomized by the heart-wrenching imagery of two lovers caught in a passionate embrace, shattered into countless fragments.