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“Salta aka Jump” Film Details
Runtime: 1 Hour(s) and 25 Minutes
Release Date (Film Festival – New York International Children’s Film Festival): March 1, 2025
Advisory Film Rating: Not Rated
Genre(s): Adventure, Comedy, Sci-Fi, Young Adult, Non-English (Spanish), Non-English (Galician), Historical
Director(s): Olga Osorio
Writer(s): Olga Osorio, Araceli Gonda
Distributor: To Be Determined
Summary
In 1989, Teo and Oscar long for their mother, and to soothe his younger brother, Oscar says she disappeared in a wormhole. Their mom is a scientist with a multitude of binders filled with research, but Oscar is a teenager without a background in theoretical science or math. So while he studies her work, he can’t say for sure she is lost in space and time and didn’t just abandon her kids with their abuela.
That is until Teo finds proof of a worm hole by looking at one of his mother’s pictures, and without reading the research like Oscar, he jumps in without a way to head back. This places him in 2022, with a much older Oscar, who has mourned the lost of his brother for decades, and now knows not only do wormholes exists but there is a potential their mother is stuck somewhere in time in need of help.
But, before they can help their mother, they have to correct the timeline and get Teo back to 1989, which poses the kind of challenge which helps both understand why their mom has yet to appear.
Cast and Character Descriptions
Teo (Mario Santos)
Teo is a lively 11 year old, always trying to hang out with his older brother but, when he has to be, willing to be on his own and explore.
Oscar (Tamar Novas, Rubén Fulgencio)
Oscar is far more introverted than his little brother Teo, and being this shy has made it so he does live a bit of a life where he often goes to work or school than comes home. But, it seems Teo is willing and able to help his brother live a far more interesting life.
- Tamar Novas is also known for their role in “Nowhere.”
Elena (Lara Morgalo, Marta Nieto)
As a teenager, Elena is Oscar’s crush, the daughter of a local market owner. But, as an adult, she is a mother of two, a mathmatician, and still very much Oscar’s crush – but whether or not the feelings are unrequited is something he may only learn if Teo gets involved.
Maria (Mabel Rivera, Cris Iglesias)
Maria is Teo and Oscar’s grandmother who, while seemingly focused on raising them and housework has lived an extraordinary life before having children.
Review
Highlight(s)
The Relationship Between Brothers [90/100]
Mario Santos is a key figure in what makes “Salta” work. Being that he is working with two actors who play his brother, Tamar Novas and Rubén Fulgencio, the weight of the film is on his shoulders to connect with both – and he knocks it out of the park. The relationships built have the ability to make the banter seem real, and show you age is nothing but a number, and what is especially notable is that you get emotionally invested.
Through Novas, you get a sense of what the loss of Teo did to Oscar, especially with him, like any older brother, blaming himself for pushing Teo away when he got annoying or not listening to him. So for them to be reunited, while it leads to comical hijinks, since Oscar still lives in his grandmother’s home in 2022, and people recognize Teo, it also causes moments that could make you tear up and potentially want to speak to your own sibling and tell them you love them – even if they do get on your nerves.
How The Time Jumping Develops Characters [85/100]
The film time jumps beyond just to 2022, and it helps spread about the character development. Mainly, the focus is on Teo and Oscar, but there are also two major women in their lives: Elena and their grandmother, Maria. With Elena, we don’t get to know her much in 1989, but 2022 she gets expanded upon and becomes the reason Oscar is able to accomplish anything.
Now, I should note, there isn’t a lot done to fill in the gap between 1989 and 2022 in terms of what happened to most characters. Oscar, you’re left to assume, just dedicated himself to studying, and Elena, between school and living her life, had two kids, and now she is back for a break with her father. But, even without that information, you still see a crush, you see Elena still loving Teo like a little brother, and she gets to exhibit her own brilliance and evolve beyond a childhood crush back in the neighborhood.
Then with Maria, she might be grandma, the boys guardian, for most of the movie, but a time jump shows her as a younger woman and let me tell you, seeing a younger grandma doing what she does, it will make you hope just like this film is based on a short, a television series could be based on this movie to really expand everyone’s story. If not the sequel which is all but promised or pitched.
How It Stands Well Enough On Its Own To Not Make You Feel A Certain Type Of Way For Needing A Sequel (Spoilers) [83/100]
To be frank, the story of Teo and Oscar doesn’t get complete in “Salta.” The foundation is laid for the boys to understand how wormholes work, but in regards to other things, like their mom, that doesn’t get resolved. In some ways, it is easy to be fine with that for building up the brothers’ relationship, establishing their grandmother, and even Elena, feels necessary and throwing in the mom could complicate things.
But, at the very least we do know she is alive. It is just a question of where she is and how can the boys find her?
Overall
Our Rating (86/100): Positive (Worth Seeing) – Recommended
When it comes to “Salta” or “Jump!” what you undoubtedly get is one of the best sci-fi movies focused on a relationship between brothers. Santos’ work deserves to be applauded and if the sequel the film hints at ever happens, those involved would be remiss to not bring him back to continue the story.
Content Information
- Dialog: Nothing Notable
- Violence: Nothing Notable
- Sexual Content: Nothing Notable
- Miscellaneous: Nothing Notable
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