Laura Citarella’s beguiling 4 hr+ Trenque Lauquen opens in New York 4/21. Here is my take: #lauracitarella #trenquelauquen #lauraparedes #argentinecinema
https://www.dustinchang.com/2022/11/woman-who-ran.html?m=1

I just watched Prisioneros de la tierra (Mario Soffici, 1939) and rated it 7/10 ~ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prisoners_of_the_Earth #films #cinema #cinemastadon #PrisionerosDeLaTierra #MarioSoffici #ArgentineCinema

Taking place in the decaying manor in the jungle in one unbearably hot & sticky Summer in Argentina, the film illustrates the murky underbelly of bourgeoisie. Mecha is seen sunbathing while drunk along with the rest of the inebriated grownups of the house by the pool side. Tali, concerned cousin of Mecha shows up w/ her family, not only to check on her cousin but also use the pool for her kids who are bored out of their minds. The pool, neglected & not cleaned for years, is filthy, murky grey disease breeding ground. The contempt for native population is out in the open, casually calling them savages & accuse the housemaid of stealing towels. W/ TV always on in the background, everyone is drawn in by the news of appearance of Virgin Mary on top of a cement tower. Richly contrasting social stratification not only in a familial but geographical & cultural, #LaCiénaga is a complex examination of a society still steeped in colonial legacy & religion. #lucreciamartel #argentinecinema #film

Leandro Listorti, filmmaker & curator of the film museum, Buenos Aires, makes a non-narrative film culled from never completed, abandoned films. La película infinita Shows you the power of cinema, purely in visual terms (sometimes accompanied by music, bits of dialog, minor sound effects, some synced with the original footages & others not). The lure of these images are undeniable - the way they demand your full attention suck you in is nothing short of miraculous. #argentinecinema #assemblage

#LisandroAlonso’s take on Western genre doesn't catch fire until mid-point & turns The Searchers storyline into something that resembles more of a Conrad/Herzogian, existential road trip. Static long takes & 4:3 aspect ratio w/round edges betray its supposed genre trappings. Nonetheless, #Jauja is a gorgeous, seductive trip. His formalist, minimalist approach is worthwhile as it morphs into something much more adventurous & rewarding. #argentinecinema #viggomortensen #latincinema

Cinema as speculum: Valentín Javier Diment's noirish psycho-erotic thriller THE ATTACHMENT DIARIES (EL APEGO, 2021) "takes a gynaecological view of a damaged relationship between doctor and patient"
Screens today, 9.45pm at Film Maudit 2.0
#ArgentineCinema #Thriller #Noir #BadRomance #Gynaecology
https://projectedfigures.com/2021/11/17/el-apego-the-attachment-diaries-2021

Viola starts out as one thing & morphs into something completely different. It's light, playful & has it’s own magical logic to it. Characters go in & out of the scenes, focus shifts from one to another, plots intermingle & certain part is a dream...? The rehearsal scene where two beautiful actors reciting from Twelfth Night is extremely sexy. Then there is Viola, a girl works as a bike delivery person for her boyfriend's music business. The ending is delightful. #MatíasPiñeiro #argentinecinema

Los Muertos's superficial plot concerns Argentino, a middle aged convict getting released from prison after serving time. Alonso reminds us that there is a bridge between this savage man in the jungle and us. That nature & civilization is closer than we think. It's a highly adventurous filmmaking. Disturbing and thought provoking, Los Muertos proves Alonso to be one of the most adventurous auteur working today. #argentinecinema #LisandroAlonso

Finding the Latin American identity, as European settlers & their offspring, has been continuous source for great literature over 300 yrs. Throw in the idea of class, masculinity, racism, sense of belonging, you get a very complex picture of what conjures the theme of Zama. Martel's mastery of the cinema medium as sensory medium first & foremost is nothing short of brilliant. She subjects us to painterly framing & exceptional sound design in every scene. #LucreciaMartel #Zama #argentinecinema