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Zama
Argentinian director Lucrecia Martel returns with a fine adaptation of Antonio Di Benedetto’s existential novel. In her first feature since 2008’s The Headless Woman, Martel creates a richly layered exploration of personal malaise.
Director: Lucrecia Martel
Overview
In her first feature since 2008’s The Headless Woman, Lucrecia Martel creates a memorable exploration of personal malaise. Adapting Antonio Di Benedetto’s existential novel, it follows Don Diego de Zama (Daniel Giménez Cacho), a minor officer in an unnamed colony of the 18th-century Spanish crown, desperate to return to his family. As his request is repeatedly delayed by red tape, Martel charts his progressive decline with opulent visuals and a multi-layered soundscape.
Zama, which premiered as the Sight & Sound Special Presentation at the BFI London Film Festival in 2017, is a new high for one of the most acclaimed filmmakers of her generation. Ranked joint 196th in the 2022 Sight and Sound Great Films of All Time poll
infrequent strong violence
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