![‘A Mouthful of Ash’ Review: Diego Luna Chronicles The Challenges Of A Young Immigrant In Spain [Cannes]](https://cdn.theplaylist.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/13112904/CENIZA-EN-LA-BOCA-Diego-LUNA-Cannes-Ash-in-The-Mouth.jpg "‘A Mouthful of Ash’ Review: Diego Luna Chronicles The Challenges Of A Young Immigrant In Spain [Cannes]")
CANNES – Despite being known as an actor for over a quarter of a century, Diego Luna is no stranger behind the camera. His credits include three narrative feature films, though both were over a decade ago, and multiple television episodes. To be fair, we haven’t screened any of his previous directorial work, but those experiences have seemingly culminated in “A Mouthful of Ash.” A world premiere out of competition at the 2026 Cannes Film Festival that’s worth paying attention to.
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An adaptation of “Ceniza en la boca” by Brenda Navarro, the movie begins in a nondescript city in Mexico, where Isabel (Adriana Paz, quite good) seemingly abandons her teenage daughter and younger son to the protests of their grandparents, who have been saddled with caring for them. In reality, Isabel is intent on finding more sustainable. opportunities for herself and her children in Spain. Fast forward eight years, and Lucila (Anna Diaz, fantástica) is now living in Madrid with her mother and brother, Diego (Benny Emmanuel, emphatic), barely hanging on.
Things family now shares a cramped one-bedroom apartment with her mother’s girlfriend, while Lucila gets by as a full-time nanny for a successful Madrid creative director who has little patience for any problems other than her own. Meanwhile, Diego keeps getting into fights at school and is being threatened with expulsion. Lucila has more patience with her brother, who is battling some form of PTSD or an inherent psychological issue, than her mother, whose constant negativity exacerbates the situation. When a fellow nanny (Anna Alarcon) provides a runway for moving to Barcelona, she mirrors her mother, leaving without warning, hoping for a better life on her own terms.
For a moment, Lucila is living a 21-year-old’s dream. She has an English boyfriend, Tom (Charlie Rowe), who is crazy for her, a stable job assisting an elderly woman who treats her with respect (Teresa Lozano), and a new circle of friends who know how to party. It’s more a mirage than a dream, however. Her boyfriend thinks she’s actually a student at his University (she’s not), she can barely afford her rent, and when Diego shows up on her doorstep for a visit, his presence sets a series of events into motion that send their lives spiraling.
At first glance, it’s easy to assume you’ve seen this tale before in one form or another. Specifically, as immigrant stories have been a mainstay of contemporary film and episodic narrative this decade. And, to be fair, that inherent familiarity can weigh down the proceedings, but “Ash” has a perspective that is just unique enough to sustain your attention. The struggles of a Mexican immigrant trying to survive in Spain will be unfamiliar to many. And is the choice to leave Mexico out of fear for your family’s safety over economic concerns (Isabel essentially couldn’t take it any more).
Lucila suffers discrimination in her host country not only because she’s Mexican, but also because of her economic status. And when those realities hit her hard, you believe every moment of it. And at times, in this tenuous world, what Lucila endures feels right around the corner. Luna and his screenwriting collaborators, Abia Castillo and Diego Rabasa, capture these moments authentically, without a hint of the inherent melodrama. Many people are cold and ruthless when dealing with immigrants, wherever they are in the world. Some, thankfully, are not. That’s not an easy proposition for the filmmakers to pull off, but they have an impressive ensemble to assist them in that endeavor.
Working with cinematographer Damián García, Luna brings a handheld auteur lens to most of the proceedings. And as they travel across continents and explore the streets of Madrid and Barcelona, the duo continually surprises in how they envision specific moments. One almost one-shot sequence, involving Lucila and her grandfather as they attempt to evade a gang of bandits on a return trip to Mexico, is startlingly impressive. If anyone hadn’t taken Luna seriously as a filmmaker beforehand, these sorts of moments should pique cinephiles’ attention. And yet, the film lives and dies on the captivating Diaz’s performance.
The term “grounded realism” is tossed around by many critics, perhaps far too often (guilty as charged). But Diaz elevates Luna’s vision by harnessing Lucila’s rollercoaster of emotions behind what seems like a calm facade. We’re not sure Lucila is a fighter, but she’s a survivor. And over the course of the film, she learns many life lessons in a very short time. So when Diaz finally lets Lucila’s joy or pain cry out, it strikes you. And sticks with you. [B]
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