Clementina

The sudden cleaning of an extremely cluttered domestic space; the habits of an idiosyncratic couple living between home-made meals and online classes; the slow devastation of an apartment as every basic service seems to crack up; the exterior world asking for favours or coming to the rescue. These are some of the elements that constitute Clementina, scripted, performed and directed – in a superb tour de force – by Constanza Feldman and Agustín Mendilaharzu.

This offbeat comedy builds a narrative of stagnation and isolation, punctuated by sudden detours and surprising turning points. The intervention of secondary characters brings infectious warmth, fun and disequilibrium. The film resonates with echoes of Chantal Akerman, Raúl Ruiz, the Zürcher brothers and Mariano Llinás: the absurdism of quotidian situations; the performances that mix slapstick, dance and pantomime; the emotional undercurrents that slowly come to the surface; the repetitive patterns broken by imaginative flights; and its impeccable, gracious timing.

Shot with refreshing formal inventiveness, paying special attention to the humorous qualities of sound, Clementina is a delightful cinematic experience about the lives of two eccentrics – not to mention their improbable collection of handmade objects, toys, books, souvenirs, records and leaves – during pandemic times.

– Cristina Álvarez López

Trailer

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