damgutman

Every year at least during the last decade, Argentinian cinema comes up with a single film that is superlative in many ways. Just back to 2014 we had Relatos Salvajes (Wild tales, Foreign film Academy Award nominee), The Clan (2015, this one to a lesser extent), El ciudadano ilustre (The distinguished citizen, 2016), and this year La cordillera, by Santiago Mitre. Mitre, still really young, is on his path to claim his spot beside the greatest contemporary Argentinian filmmakers such as Juan Jose Campanella and Damian Szifron.

This was Mitre's first super-production and he succeeded in coming up with something absolutely ambitious. The fact of the film's scale, it's remarkable cast (best national actors by far- Ricardo Darin, Erica Rivas, Gerardo Romano- and great foreign ones- Christian Slater, Elena Anaya) made it highly expected by the big commercial audience, but Mitre has surprised everyone with something so big in it's universal themes (power, greed, corruption) but yet subtle, full of metaphors

and without a closure to the story, which is what the average cinema goer expects. Hence the mixed reviews, popular reaction and the widely spread notion that the film stays half way or that's slow and boring. It can be a really uncomfortable film for some people, it makes one think and in general people go to the cinema just for entertainment.

The pace of the film it's perfect. Neither too slow nor to fast, it allows one to keep thinking about what's there or what's not. I guess it's more enjoyable if someone has interest and knowledge in politics but as I said above what really matters is the universality of the themes that are dealt with throughout the movie.

The only weakness I can find is the inclusion of President Blanco's daughter played by Dolores Fonzi. Even though then I realised this was merely with the purpose of exploring more in depth Blanco's personality and morality, I hardly find Dolores Fonzi credible (I can only recall 2013 "El critico" as an exception). In the long run and after figuring out the reason of her inclusion it didn't really matter. Everyone who's more thoughtful than the average can have a different interpretation of the events or possible outcomes.

It blew my mind.

Having read several positive reviews and being aware that the film won important prizes in festivals like the Berlinale I was expecting this film to be shown in my local art-house movie theater. It certainly lived up the hype. The film follows two characters that later on cross paths: a Finnish salesman who divorces his wife, sells everything and opens up a restaurant and a Syrian refugee (Khaled) who ends up in Finland by accident and seeks for asylum.

I will not expand anymore in plot details. Kaurismaki mixes in humour in its right measure (some people might find it ridiculous but being the Finnish such an unknown and different culture for me I found it really interesting) with the difficult realistic events that unfold. Moreover we are shown a perfect radiography of a society that is not of the ones that is more "affected" -due to its geographical location- with war and refugee issues in the present and how people react differently and of course the everywhere present neo Nazis.

It's a very realistic film so I'd advice potential viewers who read IMDb reviews not to expect extraordinary events neither sophisticated acting. The acting is monotone in purpose and it suits the mood of the movie perfectly. Music is very important in the film and it helps one to immerse even more in its mood. It's a pity that -at least in my country and I guess pretty much everywhere- it's shown in only a few movie theaters. It would raise awareness and demonstrate people that there is great cinema all over the world.

Between worlds is a worthy addition to the latest group of Israeli films dealing with relationships between Jews and Arabs in Israel- A borrowed identity (2014), for instance. After a terrorist attack in Jerusalem, there's only one man injured. He is in a coma and is visited by his family- an orthodox Jewish one. He has been out of contact with them for a few years and going out with an Arab girl. She has also been apart from her family to be in a relationship with him. She pretends to have a father in coma in the same hospital, takes the name of the daughter and starts to establish a relationship with his mother, her without even knowing at first that she's actually her son's girlfriend.

It's an intimate family drama that makes a strong case for the stupidity of religious antagonism. It's a deep film and yet it's not overly melodramatic. The film's cinematography is outstanding and the score is beautiful. The two main actresses are perfect for the role and they're credible.

The downside to it is that probably some scenes are too prolonged at the beginning and this doesn't work well in an 84 minute-film. Although the film gets better as some time passes, this is something to remark. I believe that it would have made an outstanding short film.