How Much Further? narrates the story of a Spanish tourist in Ecuador, Esperanza (Tania Martínez) who along her way meets a student from the city of Quito, Tristeza (Cecilia Vallejo). The two women are trying to arrive to the city of Cuenca for different reasons. Esperanza wants to continue sightseeing and Tristeza wants to prevent her ex boyfriend from getting married. A trip that should have only lasted a few hours by bus is delayed due to a national strike that arises after the fleeing of the Ecuadorean president. This forces the two women to get to know not only each other more, but also the country. In their journey the meet different personalities that help them continue their way like Jesús (Pancho Aguirre) that becomes some what of a spiritual guide for Esperanza and Tristeza (the character’s name is even played with in this regard when he appears to the two women). Esperanza and Tristeza are determined to overcome the obstacles in their way in order to get to their destination that now seems to be much further than they had expected.

Thomas J. Shalloe

Arizona State University