During the 2024 Primavera Sound festival in Barcelona, a unique act shared the stage with renowned artists like Pulp and Charli XCX. The performance by Stella Maris was accompanied by a visual display of haunting home videos, religious symbols, and sparkling GIFs. This six-member sister ensemble blended elements reminiscent of Haim with the aesthetics of Heaven’s Gate, delivering what they termed “Christian electronic dance music,” a genre their late mother supposedly believed could contribute to global salvation.
While the performance felt genuine, the band itself was part of a promotional campaign for the popular Spanish television series “La Mesías,” which premiered in 2023. The show consists of seven episodes focusing on Enric and Irene, two siblings who reconnect when they learn their other siblings have gained fame as a viral pop group. The narrative unfolds through a series of emotional flashbacks, revealing a backdrop marked by familial neglect, narcissism, and religious extremism, with a touch of UFO lore woven into the storyline.
“La Mesías” stands out for its distinctive narrative, crafted by the creative duo known as Los Javis, who recently received the Best Director award at the Cannes Film Festival for their upcoming queer drama “La Bola Negra.” This series is undeniably memorable, featuring lengthy episodes, some running nearly 80 minutes, which is atypical for the cinema-focused streaming platform Mubi. Its eccentricity is striking, often giving the impression of multiple storylines colliding, with timelines competing for viewer attention. The early years are portrayed by young actors Bruno Núñez Arjona and Carla Moral, depicting Enric and Irene with grace and depth. The character of Montserrat, played by Ana Rujas, combines elements of Cher from “Mermaids” and the infamous Mommie Dearest, delivering lines that reflect her own struggles: “mamá tiene que vivir” (“mum needs a life, too”). The narrative then shifts to the teenage years, where Biel Rossell and Irene Balmes portray the siblings, now named Isaías and Resurrección, as they are pressured by their mother to perform religious music in the 1990s while dressed in styles reminiscent of the 1920s. Finally, Enric and Irene are depicted as adults, portrayed by Roger Casamajor and Macarena García, grappling with the scars of their upbringing yet motivated to protect their younger sisters.
This ambitious series delves deeply into themes of familial dynamics and religious influence. If Pedro Almodóvar has explored the complexities of motherhood, Los Javis take it further with Montserrat, portrayed by Lola Dueñas and Carmen Machi, who projects her own psychological turmoil and religious fervor onto her children. The casting of Dueñas as Montserrat and Albert Pla as her ultra-conservative husband Pep is a notable highlight, bringing to life some of the most outrageous yet often comically absurd parental figures imaginable. Amidst its darker moments, “La Mesías” finds humor in unexpected circumstances, such as a visit from social services or the awkward performance of the teenage siblings, who receive a mix of indifference and laughter from the audience. The songs performed by Stella Maris are both amusing and catchy, thanks to the clever lyrics from the Catalan pop group Hidrogenesse.
However, certain elements of “La Mesías” fall short. The sisters’ supposed isolation contrasts with their sudden online popularity, although they draw inspiration from the real-life group Flos Mariae. The show contains numerous plotlines that can feel overwhelming, and some episodes tend to lag. While the music budget appears substantial, certain song choices, like Hozier’s “Take Me to Church” and Paul Young’s “Everytime You Go Away,” come across as overly obvious, though an exception can be made for Pink Floyd’s “Mother,” which fittingly underscores the chilling nature of the series. Despite these flaws, “La Mesías” stands as an artistic success, presenting a nightmarish thriller that exemplifies why Los Javis earned accolades at Cannes. An aunt’s remark that “your mum met many men, but the worst of them was God” simplifies the complex themes explored in the series. Rather than criticizing religion itself, the show examines the destructive dogmas and sometimes the pop-culture indoctrination that humans attach to it.
“La Mesías” is currently available for streaming on Mubi.
