Sopladora de Hojas

Lucas, Emilio, and Ruben are three friends on the verge of adulthood. While walking back from a soccer game, the friends talk about their recently deceased friend, Martin, and funeral that will be held later that day, which they plan to attend once out of their uniforms. As they walk through a park, Lucas mentions how he has always wanted to jump in a pile of dead leaves. Ruben dares Lucas to jump into one of many piles for 10 pesos. Lucas jumps and demands his reward, although Ruben claims he only has only 1 peso. He tells Lucas he will give him the money when they meet up again, and they each head home.

Before going home, Ruben uses an inhaler, in spite of being an avid smoker. Once home, he argues with his dad about not wanting to work while also attending school. Emilio steals mail from his neighbor, Georgina, and uses it for his own pleasure. Lucas receives a call from his girlfriend, who wants to attend the funeral with him, but he convinces her not to. As he tries to open his gate door, he realizes his keys are gone. Lucas calls Emilio, asking for help in remembering where his keys might be. Lucas then remembers the incident at the park, and theorizes that the keys fell in the leaves.

When they meet up again, Lucas tells Emilio and Ruben that they need to find the keys, as they also held his girlfriend's car keys. Ruben proposes using a broom, and heads to Emilio's house to get said broom, where Emilio's mom, Susana, takes him up to their apartment. After some small talk, he confesses to her that he stopped going to school and has not told his parents yet. He then daydreams about making out with Susana. Once back, Lucas suggests burning down the piles to hasten the process, but are stopped by a police officer, who extorts Emilio out of 250 pesos, in exchange for not taking them in for arson. As they argue about different methods, such as calling a mutual friend, David, who Lucas claims has a leaf blower and will let them use it, Emilio is stung by an unknown insect. They make their way to a pharmacy, and are greeted by another mutual friend, Roman, working there. He informs them that Martin was in a coma for 3 days before dying, and gives Emilio cream to apply on his bite, which turns out to be vaginal cream.

On their way back, they spot a woman from the neighborhood picking up their mess. They intervene, and she threatens to call the cops if Lucas does not give her back her broom he snatched from her. He reluctantly gives it back, after imagining being taken away by the cops. Georgina shows up and offers to let them use her rake and invites Emilio to go with her to get it. Emilio imagines walking away with her, confident, holding her hand, but ends up backing out. A homeless man comes along and takes warns them of Fall season ending, and to find the keys before then, taking with him the rest of Ruben's cigarettes.

Ruben starts to leave, but Lucas challenges him to a sword game, which they play with broom sticks. The night falls, and their game is interrupted by Lucas answering a call from his girlfriend. Ruben reveals to Emilio he's had the keys all along. When Lucas hangs up,Ruben expresses his distaste in his girlfriend, due to her ever-present behavior. Tensions rise and they fight, until Emilio breaks it up, breaking his nose in the commotion. They apologize to each other, and head to the funeral, despite Lucas being in his uniform and Emilio's bloody nose.

After the funeral, Lucas finally receives a call from David, who as it turns out, does not have a leaf blower. They part ways; Lucas heads to his girlfriend's house to tell her lost her keys and breaks up with her. Emilio goes home and gives Georgina back mail he has been stealing, as well as pictures he's taken of her. He apologizes, but she slams her door in his face. Once home, Ruben takes out a shoe box, revealing more than enough money to pay back Lucas.

The next morning, Lucas gets a haircut, then meets up with Emilio at the park and eventually Ruben. The three head out and Ruben pays Lucas back.

According to producer Samuel Sosa, the idea behind the movie was conceived eight years prior, during a similar incident. Sosa, along with director Alejandro Iglesias Mendizabal and cinematographer Luis Montalvo, were studying at the CCC. Iglesias Mendizabal decided to jump in a pile of leaves and lost his keys, which also had the keys of his girlfriend's car. The three spent the afternoon looking for them, and Iglesias Mendizabal wrote everything that happened down in a notebook.[2]

• Sopladora de Hojas on IMDb
• Leaf Blower (Sopladora De Hojas) at Rotten Tomatoes
• Boyd van Hoeij Leaf Blower (Sopladora de hojas): Morelia Review The Hollywood Reporter, 11/16/2015