The Life of Fish by Matías Bize

Latin American cinema’s rise to fame seems to be enjoying a renewed sense of excitement. The recent critical and commercial success of films like The Milk of Sorrow (La Teta Assustada) and The Secret in Their Eyes (El secreto de sus ojos) have paved the way for a series of new directors to break through internationally.

The Life of Fish (La Vida de los Peces), screening in the ADFF narrative competition, is one example. Written and directed by the young, yet experienced, Matíaz Bize, this intimate and personal story of a young travel writer’s encounter with his own past is Chile’s latest answer to the ever growing interest in the region’s film industry.

At first, Bárbara Álvaréz’s cinematography is quite breathtaking, skillfully using the natural limits of the single location, a house party. It creates a dreamlike environment of enclosure, as if the main character is locked inside the troubled past he does not want to either relive or escape, choosing instead to swim around in circles, like a fish in a tank.

However, although the story is set up brilliantly, as it goes on and becomes ever more predictable you cannot help but feel let down. The characters are left unpolished, even if at an early stage they’re powerful enough to be engaging and oddly stimulating. Despite the fact that it may not be the most well-executed piece coming from Latin America, the film’s drive to create a sense of intimacy makes it an enjoyable experience.

By Fernando Vasquez