Notes for a Film
Ignacio Agüero / CL, FR, 2022 / 105 min.
A playfully styled portrait loosely based on memoirs published in 1889, evoking recollections of an unspoiled Chile that reflect on the here and now. But the portrayal also sheds light on what has been lost through colonization and modernization.
Belgian civil engineer Gustave Verniory still had a lot to learn when in 1889 he was hired to construct a railroad across the unspoiled natural landscape of Araucanía, a region that had recently become part of Chile. The tumultuous past and the ever-changing landscape are a constant background presence in Notes for a Film.
Director Ignacio Agüero takes a provocative approach in this portrait based loosely on Verniory’s memoirs, choosing to film actor Alexis Mespreuve visiting old sites and re-enacting adventures in modern-day Chile. Shooting in black-and-white, he is able to seamlessly blend the new scenes with archive footage, making history palpable.
But Agüero and Mespreuve also step out of that narrative when they visit the Mapuche, an oppressed community still scarred by colonization—just like their once abundant habitat. A playful film that nonetheless forces us to face some hard facts.
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Details
Director
Ignacio Agüero
Production year
2022
Country
CL, FR
Length
105 min.
Language
Spanish, French
Format
DCP
Part of
IDFA 2022
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