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

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

All the connective tissues of the film are all spread out- the fact doctors are ear-nose-throat specialists - whispers and misheard information, smell, singing, but Martel’s approach is so subtle and fluid. The sordid details of middle class bourgeoisie can be seen as Almodovar-esque melodrama. But as in all Martel's films there is always a it's-barely-there-but-there satire in Holy Girl. I can't really think of any director working today who works on her level. #Lucreciamartel #latincinema

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