South America, 1919. At a magical spot by an impressive waterfall, landowner’s wife Julia sends up a prayer to Iguazú, the mythical mother of day and night. Julia’s servant has warned her that, according to the indigenous people, this is strictly forbidden. She does it anyway, and Julia’s stillborn son comes back to life – but he’s not the only entity to return. The price to be paid is high, and upends two worlds: on the one hand that of the European conquerors and their priest, and on the other that of the exploited and massacred Guaraní.
Casabé weaves this at times shocking confrontation into a play with genres. Los que vuelven, based on her short film La vuelta del malón, mixes stylish socio-historical drama with horror and elements of a supernatural thriller. The film’s three-episode structure brings unexpected shifts in perspective as Casabé probes the white people’s deep-rooted fear of an uprising by the oppressed.
Film details
- Country of production
- Argentina
- Year
- 2019
- Festival edition
- IFFR 2020
- Length
- 93'
- Medium/Format
- DCP
