Rain, Bamboo — Cristina Sanchez-Conejero

Rain, Bamboo tells the story of Sarah, a young Spanish journalist living in the United States who falls in love with Leonardo, a famous Mexican actor whom she interviews. After eight months of clandestine encounters, she receives a mysterious message from him telling her "something ugly happened. I am not going to be able to write you or see you any more. Please, do not write me. Do not look for me. One day I will call you and explain". She is submerged in uncertainty, worry and a profound sadness as she agonizes over what might be lost and why. As she begins to confront the true meaning of the message, Sarah is forced to reevaluate everything she thought she knew about Leonardo. She struggles to forget all the memories she has from the crazy and passionate love she lived with him: love letters, sweet words, laughter, and all the exciting dreams scattered across Texas, Buenos Aires and Mexico. The process proves to be devastating for Sarah, who falls sick out of heartbreak over the illusion of everything she thought Leonardo meant. She tries to continue with her life and even marries another man. When she least expects it, Leonardo reappears in her life with another enigmatic message, this time while she is on her death bed in the hospital. His message sinks her even more into a self-destructive roller coaster of emotional turmoil that she may not be able to escape this time... and from which she leaves only one thing as a testimony: a book titled Rain, Bamboo.