#elsur

Directed by Víctor Erice.

"La no tan piadosa merced de nuestras aguas oscuras" Ilustración basada en el vídeo de Mala Fama de los @asesfalsos_oficial

EL Sur. VIctor Erice, 1983. I have been a fan of Erice's Spirit of the Beehive for decades now, one of the most beautiful and rich films I have ever seen, a mesmerizing work of art. So it was a shock to me when I sat down to casually watch Erice's second feature El Sur from '83 -- a film Erice calls an unfinished film in a short documentary about the making of El Sur. Shocked because it took me this long to see this film! Shocked because it carries the same profound and thoughtful approach to every image as in Spirit of the Beehive, and then some. From the first image dissolving out of the opening credits, you can see that there is something really special here. There are some images that are so beautiful they conjure comparisons to works by Caravaggio or Vermeer they are so sublime and stunning! The story revolves around the relationship between a young girl growing up in a small town and her doctor father, who also has some sort of secret that slowly unfolds -- but, is never completely resolved because the third part of the story was never completed! the film was released as it is due to financial issues that arose mid-production. The film was then edited to the best possible conclusion which is the film that exists today. Still, it's use of light and shadow and the way the images carry the characters to each new realization is simply and obviously the work of a true master of the form. The story is handled with amazing subtlety and perception. It is sad that someone with so much insight and command has only made 3 films in over four decades! I can't recommend it enough! And if you haven't already seen Spirit of the Beehive, see that one too!

Costanera Center, Santiago de Chile📍