Undertow, or Contracorriente, was by far my favorite film out of the twenty-two films I watched at the festival. Through an excellent script, story, acting, and cinematography, the film transported me into the lives of Miguel and Sebastian (main characters), making me fall in love, cry, and laugh along with them. I was very proud and happy that such an excellent film is Latin American, Peruvian and Colombian to be specific. In some extent, I felt very connected and represented by this film as a Venezuelan because the symbols and traditions depicted throughout the film were as familiar for me as they were foreign for the Australian audience, which I realized during the Q&A session.
The subject developed by Javier Fuentes-Leon is still a delicate matter in Latin America. Being a culture founded on the image of the ‘macho,’ gays and homosexuality are still not accepted by the general population. Therefore, I was surprised that he was brave enough to break the silence of such taboos by coming out with a film that talks so openly about the subject. The story follows the life of a homosexual fisherman who can only be with his lover in the shadows of secrecy and afterlife. Fuentes-Leon could not have put it into better words: “Santiago’s death was a beginning, a way to live their love openly and realize how their lives could have been.” They could be together in front of the community if Santiago was a ghost that could only be seen by Miguel. The acting of these two men was excellent. It is very refreshing to realize that these actors, known by their roles as gallant Latin lovers in popular soup-operas, were willing to take the risk of participating in a project that could eventually jeopardize their career in television.
I have to admit that after watching the trailer of the film, I was somewhat concerned that it would be a mediocre adaptation of Brokeback Mountain in Spanish. It has nothing to do with it apart from the fact that they both explore the subject of homosexuality and its taboos. I am very curious to find out how the movie will be perceived by Latin American audiences.
I know that I did not talk much about the film per se. Instead I decided to write about the industry and culture this film came out of because it is exiting to realize that such industry is growing-up, moving away from the overdramatic soup-operas, and becoming more mature and sound.
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