In Rejtman’s absurdist, bone-dry tragicomedy, the characters wander zombie-like through suburbia, unaffected by everything that goes on around them – even an attempted suicide. 17-year-old Mariano comes home, mows the lawn, swims a few lengths in the swimming pool, finds a pistol in the shed and shoots himself – first in the head, then in the belly. Incredibly, he survives the incident. Later, he tells a psychiatrist that he shot himself because ‘it was hot outside’. After Mariano’s impulsive suicide attempt, nothing seems to have changed within his family. Except for one effect that is audible when he plays the flute: during rehearsals, a strange resonance can be heard, caused by the bullet that is still in his belly. The Bresson-esque characters do not suffer, simply because they do not think about what is happening. The absurdities stack up, not least owing to the constant ringing of cell phones at the most inappropriate moments.
Film details
Productielanden
Argentina, Chile, Germany, Netherlands
Jaar
2014
Festivaleditie
IFFR 2015
Lengte
104'
Medium/Formaat
DCP
Taal
Spanish
Première status
None
Director
Martín Rejtman
Producer
Violeta Bava, Bruno Bettati, Christoph Friedel, Jan van der Zanden, Ilse Hughan
Principal cast
Manuela Martelli, Rafael Federman
Screenplay
Martín Rejtman
Cinematography
Lucio Bonelli
Editing
Martín Mainoli
Sound design
David Miranda
Production company
Ruda Cine, Jirafa, Pandora Film Produktion, Waterland Film, Fortuna Films