La cruz del sur (2003)

User Rating:

6.2/10   

Director:

Pablo Reyero

Writers:

Gustavo Fontán (writer's collaborator)
Jorge Goldenberg (writer)

Release Date:

25 March 2004 (Argentina)

Genre:

Drama

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Letizia Lestido	...	Nora
Luciano Suardi	...	Javier
Humberto Tortonese	...	Wendy
Mario Paolucci	...	Rodolfo
Silvia Baylé	...	Mercedes
Oscar Alegre	...	Negro

Also Known As:

The Southern Cross (International: English title)

Runtime:

Argentina:87 min | France:86 min (Cannes Film Festival)

Country:

Argentina | France

Language:

Spanish

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Argentina:16

Filming Locations:

Buenos Aires, Federal District, Argentina

Company:

Instituto Nacional de Cine y Artes Audiovisuales (INCAA)

End of the world

This is an exceptionally disturbing film. I've seen a lot of stories about crime and punishment: but this one beats them all (except Les Amants Criminel perhaps).

The setting of southern Argentina is cold, dirty, dark, gritty and utterly desperate. The inhabitants of these cursed territories carry a lifetime of misery on their shoulders and every choice they make is the wrong one. All they have is love for each other, but their survival instincts don't allow them to show their caring side. Even with death closing in, consolation escapes them.

The double motive of the sea and religion who give and take life and there for are the only way out, are inserted beautifully. Direction is raw, wild and uncompromising and fits the subject matter perfectly. There's almost no soundtrack and no dialog: there's not much to say anyway: the background noise destroys all soothing silence.

For a fictional debut of director Reyero, this is a very uncompromisingly rough film: but ravishing in its overwhelming ugliness.