Movie Review by Sergio Martinez
In this first instalment, we take a look at the Latin
American and Spanish films that were screened at the Toronto International Film
Festival (TIFF).
The Condor Daughter
Dir. Álvaro Olmos
(Bolivia/Peru/Uruguay)
This film uses excellent cinematography (Nicolás Wong Díaz)
to beautifully capture the contrasts between the traditions of a village in the
Andes (Totorani) and modern city life. Clara (Marisol Vallejos) helps her
adoptive mother, Ana (María Magdalena Sanizo), with her work as a midwife. The
girl also accompanies these procedures with ritual songs. Although Clara has a
genuine affection for the woman who raised her, the attraction of modern urban
life will also exert a strong pull on her.
The Mysterious Gaze of the Flamingo
Dir. Diego Céspedes (Chile)
An inhospitable place in the middle of the desert is the
setting for a small community of transvestites who provide entertainment and
sex to the miners in the area. Somehow, the community has introduced a very
special kind of family. All this is seen through the eyes of Lidia (Tamara
Cortés), an eleven-year-old girl, daughter of one of the transvestites, but in
reality, a girl who is cared for by everyone in this unusual community. Set in
1982, the outbreak of AIDS will hit the group hard and also cause a clash with
the few inhabitants of the village.
Dir. Karla
Badillo (Mexico / Argentina)
In a semi-abandoned convent, the last three nuns of the
congregation still insist on staying there. Rafaela (Natalia Solián) is the
youngest nun and has disturbed the mother superior with her apparent ability to
foresee events in her dreams. The young nun is sent by the mother superior to
meet the new bishop who is coming to a town not far from there. Rafaela sets
off on a motorcycle, but it soon breaks down and she has to continue on foot.
On her journey, she meets a group of pilgrims carrying the image of a saint who
are also going to see the new bishop. Also on the road, the nun will meet a
military paratrooper who has had a conflict with his superior and has his own
reasons for going to the city. They are a group of human beings motivated by
rather mundane factors, far removed from Rafaela's mystical quest. Excellent
photography and convincing performances made this film an enjoyable experience.
Dir. Tomás
Corredor (Colombia/Brazil/Mexico/Norway)
Times of violence in Colombia, but with interesting twists
that make it relevant today. The film recreates the details surrounding the
takeover of the Palace of Justice in Bogotá in November 1985 by the M-19
guerrilla group and the bloody storming of the building by the army, which
resulted in the deaths not only of most of the guerrillas but also of the
hostages, including Supreme Court justices and other officials who worked in
the building. The film presents a remarkably realistic reconstruction of the
events that unfolded and conveys the sense of anguish and uncertainty that
everyone experienced during those days.
The Secret Agent
Dir. Kleber Mendonça Filho
(Brazil/France/Netherlands/Germany)
A complex story set during the dictatorship in 1977, which
forces Marcelo (Wagner Moura) to play a role for which he was not prepared. It
is more interesting as a political thriller with unexpected developments and
well-defined characters than as a social commentary. At the end, the
characters' storylines are clarified in a curious way.
Dir. Fernando
Eimbcke (United States / Mexico)
A family story with elements of social realism focused on
the immigrant experience. Set in 1979, this film also focuses on the conflict
between teenager Olmo's (Aivan Uttapa) desire to have fun and his family
responsibilities, especially with regard to his father (Gustavo Sánchez Parra),
who is bedridden due to multiple sclerosis. However, the young man is not the
only one who shirks his responsibilities.
Dir. Ulises Porra (Dominican Republic / Spain)
Although a fictional story, the film alludes to an attempt
during colonial times to introduce silkworm breeding in the Dominican Republic.
Lázaro (David Castillo), a Spanish explorer, and Mei (Valentina Shen Wu), a
Chinese silk weaving master, venture into the Dominican forest in search of the
place where Lázaro's father had planted mulberry trees, the food source for
silkworms. There, they find the Haitian
Baptiste (Jean Jean) living, who joins the trio in their unique and dangerous
adventure. Excellent cinematography (Sebastian Cabrera Cheli) allows us to
appreciate the challenging natural environment in all its splendour, in which
the story unfolds.
Barrio triste (Sad Neighborhood)
Dir. Stillz (Colombia/United States)
Filmed in a cinéma verité style, this movie attempts, with
moderate success, to portray the details of a gang of juvenile delinquents in a
marginal neighbourhood of Medellín in the 1990s. There is a mixture of reality and
hallucinatory scenes that make a strong impact, but some scenes are too long,
and in the end, the director seems unsure of how to end the film. One could say
that he misses that opportunity in one of the scenes where the protagonists
seem to be swallowed up by a great light. That would have been the perfect
ending.
***
SPANISH CINEMA
El cautivo (The Captive)
Dir. Alejandro
Amenábar (Spain/Italy)
Amenábar's new film has been eagerly awaited. It portrays
Miguel de Cervantes' years of captivity in Algiers and how he manages to
survive the harsh conditions imposed on prisoners by their captors. It also
takes a very raw look at the betrayals and intrigues among the captives
themselves, as well as the homosexual relationship between Cervantes (Julio
Peña Fernández) and the governor (Alessandro Borghi). Excellent recreation of
the city’s atmosphere and excellent photography.
Dir. Lucía Aleñar
Iglesias (Spain / Italy / Sweden)
A very interesting and moving take on the relationship
between a grandfather and his granddaughter. Tomeu (Lluís Homar) is emotionally
devastated when his wife Catalina (Marta Angelat) dies in a domestic accident.
Cata (Zoe Stein), who has always been very close to her grandparents, somehow
takes on aspects of the deceased's identity, thereby strengthening her
emotional bond with Tomeu. A film that pays tribute to intergenerational
relationships, it also won the award given by the International Federation of
Film Critics (FIPRESCI).
Dir. Maryam Touzani (Morocco/Spain/Germany/Belgium)
Another high-quality Spanish film, both for the quality of
the acting and the magnificent and realistic staging that conveys the warmth of
the street where a large number of Spaniards lived in Tangier, Morocco. María
Ángeles (Carmen Maura) is a retired woman who lives independently in her home.
A visit from her daughter, Clara (Marta Etura), brings bad news. Facing
financial problems in Madrid, Clara has decided to sell the property where her
mother lives—the house was in her name. The contrast between Clara's
selfishness and her mother's determination to maintain her independence will
trigger new situations, some of them very unexpected.
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