The Polish student
I couldn't fit the subplot about the Polish student into the rest of the film. It was interesting in its own right, but did it have a relationship to the main plot?
shareTo me, it served to show what a kind woman Pilar was. Maybe she decided to host an exchange student because she was lonely. In any case, she had cooked for her and had even bought her a Christmas gift, which she later gave to the girl's friend.
Pilar seemed to be a very caring woman. She cared about Aurora more than her own daughter did, and she was also involved in a human rights group.
And all the pieces matter (The Wire)share
Dear film fancy, Thanks for writing. I agree with everything you said. I see your point that that part of the film served to illuminate Pilar's character. Red-125
share>> she later gave to the girl's friend
That was girl herself, Maya. She lied to Pilar at the airport saying she was a friend because she found someone other to stay with. But then her friends call her 'Maya'. It's not clear whether Pilar got that, but I had a feeling that she did, and thus when she met Maya on the street, she gave her the present, without calling the lie out.