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
- Countries of production
- Argentina, Chile, Germany, Netherlands
- Year
- 2014
- Festival edition
- IFFR 2015
- Length
- 104"
- Medium/Format
- DCP
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