Elisa Before the End of the World

Elisa Before the End of the World

Year: 1997

Runtime: 80 mins

Language: Spanish

Director: Juan Antonio de la Riva

Drama

10-year-old Elisa, whose parents are about to lose their new car due to financial problems, plans a bank robbery.

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Timeline & Setting – Elisa Before the End of the World (1997)

Explore the full timeline and setting of Elisa Before the End of the World (1997). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

Present day

The events unfold in a contemporary urban setting, reflecting current concerns around debt, unemployment, and family resilience in Mexico City.

Location

Colonia Roma, Mexico City

Elisa and her family live in an apartment in Colonia Roma, an urban neighborhood in Mexico City. The setting centers on a middle-to-upper-middle-class family facing a deep financial crisis that threatens their home and belongings. The streets, rooftops, and mixed-use blocks of Colonia Roma ground the story in a realistic contemporary city environment.

🏙️ Urban neighborhood 💸 Economic precarity 🏢 Apartment living

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 19:30

Main Characters – Elisa Before the End of the World (1997)

Meet the key characters of Elisa Before the End of the World (1997), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Elisa (Sherlyn)

Elisa is a resourceful teenager whose family is overwhelmed by debt. She steps into riskier schemes to help her family survive, showing determination but also a willingness to cross moral lines. Her arc culminates in a tragic act during a bank robbery, highlighting the cost of desperation.

👧 Protagonist 💡 Determined 🧭 Moral conflict

Miguel (Imanol)

Miguel is Elisa’s younger neighbor and friend who becomes swept up in her plans. He is loyal and curious, growing into a witness to the violence surrounding them. He survives the events but is left mourning the loss of his friends at the end.

🧒 Loyal 🧭 Curious 🕊️ Survivor

Paco (Rubén Rojo Aura)

Paco is a punk kid who hangs around the rooftop and becomes involved in Elisa’s schemes. He represents a reckless option and is ultimately killed during the bank robbery, marking the dangers of their improvised plans.

🧑‍🎤 Rebellious 🔫 Risk-taker 💔 Fatal consequence

Gómez

Gómez is a bank employee who visits Elisa’s family to discuss their debt, illustrating the power of financial institutions over personal lives. His presence foreshadows the collision between personal desperation and systemic pressure.

🏦 Bank official 💬 Debt pressure ⚖️ Authority

Elisa's Father

Elisa’s father is the driver of the family’s debt, explaining that debt and potential loss loom large if payments are not made. He sells the television and a gun to raise money, capturing the strain and fear impacting the family unit.

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Family man 💵 Debt ⚠️ Pressure

Elisa's Mother (Susana Zabaleta)

Elisa’s mother shares the burden of the family’s financial crisis, offering support while navigating the threat of losing their home. Her role anchors the emotional core of the family’s struggle and resilience.

👩‍👧‍👦 Family matriarch 💔 Strain 🏠 Home

Miguel's Mother (Claudia Goytia)

Miguel’s mother is part of the surrounding family network, providing context for the community that supports Elisa and Miguel. Her presence helps ground the story in a broader social fabric.

👩‍👦 Family 🏘️ Community 🧭 Support

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 19:30

Major Themes – Elisa Before the End of the World (1997)

Explore the central themes of Elisa Before the End of the World (1997), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

💸 Poverty

The family’s mounting debts push them toward drastic measures as they struggle to keep their car, furniture, and apartment. The film examines how financial strain reshapes choices and pushes young people toward risky solutions. Desperation becomes a driving force behind actions with tragic consequences.

💔 Friendship

Elisa and Miguel form a close bond in a precarious environment, relying on each other to navigate escalating danger. Their friendship is tested by escalating risks, deception, and violence. The story ultimately centers on how loyalty and trust endure even as it ends in loss.

🏙️ Urban Violence

The narrative builds tension through the threat of crime, gunfire, and public confrontation in a dense city setting. Bank robbery plans and rooftop schemes turn everyday spaces into sites of danger. The film uses urban violence to critique social inequality and its spillover into ordinary life.

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 19:30

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Elisa Before the End of the World Summary

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Elisa Before the End of the World Summary

Elisa Before the End of the World Timeline

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Elisa Before the End of the World Timeline

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Elisa Before the End of the World Spoiler-Free Summary

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