2023-06-21 20:55:11
This powerful, mischievous and dark film has been ‘applied’ to seven awards (as the gringo cop and the Latina cop who interrogate that Catalan dancer and her common-law partner, a Venezuelan urban planner would say) at the airport, signed by people as relatively new as well prepared. He has applied to seven awards. In Malaga. Barcelona. Argentina. Calcutta. Reims. Estonia. Tetouan. And the seven has achieved.
Upon Entry
Direction and screenplay: Alejandro Rojas, Juan Sebastian Vasquez.
Photography: JS Vasquez.
Editing: Emanuele Tiziani.
Performers: Alberto Ammann, Bruna Cusi, Laura Gomez, Ben Temple.
Duration: 77m.
More or less like the protagonist of the story, Elena, who ‘applied’ to that strange raffle, that American ‘visa lottery’, where the jackpot is a ‘green card’, a residence permit. She won it. At first. Miami destination. From El Prat. Layover in New York. Detention. The laws of the border. What’s happening? We will not say, but damn lottery, damn Kafka. Damn Dante. Cursed Land of the Free and Home of the Brave. Damn officials who, like police dogs, pry into the intricacies of our secrets and snout our mistakes or past obsessions.
‘Upon Entry’ is beyond good. tense. Bright. A cinematographic exercise. An authentic ‘tour de force’ of camera, composition, editing, sound, script and acting. Everything in it is measured. Checked. Sustained. Rhythm. Impeccably. Relentless. Another twist. And another one. But no gear is disengaged or out of level.
Everything controlled by the two filmmakers. When, following the rules on how to psychologically break the detainee, the border official casts a shadow of doubt between the lovers, Elena’s glance is enough to know that there is no return possible.
Noticeable. A lot. It is noticeable that behind ‘Upon Entry’ are, among others, the producers of ‘El hoyo’, or ‘El ataúd de Cristal’. Yes, Basque Films. From Zumalakarregi 48, Bilbao.
#Criticism #of.. #Entry #Green #Card #damn #lottery