Early in Mexican-Canadian filmmaker Nicolás Pereda’s succinctly effective farce Fauna, Paco (Francisco Barreiro), a thespian with a non-speaking part in the popular show Narcos, is asked to conjure up a performance in the middle of an empty pool hall. His girlfriend’s father wants to see him act on command. Adding to the film’s meta undertones that later turn more noticeable is the fact that Barreirois is in fact part of the Netflix series.
Begrudgingly, Paco concedes transforming into a hyper-masculine and overly confident drug-dealer to deliver a short monologue. Unimpressed, the older man demands to see it again. It’s an uncomfortably humorous scene that sets the stage for a nesting doll of performances inquiring about Mexican pop culture’s infatuation with vicious criminals.
Even if none of the characters in Fauna can remember Diego Luna’s name, Narcos remains the pinnacle of this commoditization of violence.
Begrudgingly, Paco concedes transforming into a hyper-masculine and overly confident drug-dealer to deliver a short monologue. Unimpressed, the older man demands to see it again. It’s an uncomfortably humorous scene that sets the stage for a nesting doll of performances inquiring about Mexican pop culture’s infatuation with vicious criminals.
Even if none of the characters in Fauna can remember Diego Luna’s name, Narcos remains the pinnacle of this commoditization of violence.
- 9/26/2020
- by Carlos Aguilar
- The Film Stage
Estranged siblings gathering weary forces to check in on their distant parents rarely makes for a good time in real life, but onscreen in Nicolás Pereda’s “Fauna,” it’s a rife setup for awkward moments and cringe comedy refracted through an oddball lens. Dry as a bone and shot with clinical detachment, the latest entry in the evolving Pereda cinematic universe is both a dysfunctional family dramedy and a droll sendup of celebrity obsession, using the global fever surrounding Netflix’s “Narcos” as an entry point into the life of actors, creators, and those who watch them from afar.
Luisa (Luisa Pardo) and Paco (Francisco Barreiro) are on a road trip. She is an aspiring actor, he a more successful one, and they’re going to visit her parents in a rural village in Mexico. She hasn’t seen them in awhile, and her brother Gabino (Lázaro Gabino Rodríguez) will be joining them.
Luisa (Luisa Pardo) and Paco (Francisco Barreiro) are on a road trip. She is an aspiring actor, he a more successful one, and they’re going to visit her parents in a rural village in Mexico. She hasn’t seen them in awhile, and her brother Gabino (Lázaro Gabino Rodríguez) will be joining them.
- 9/19/2020
- by Ryan Lattanzio
- Indiewire
Lukas Feigelfeld’s directorial feature debut Hagazussa releases on limited edition Blu-ray from Arrow Video on May 11th. The story is set in the Alpine mountains at the turn of the 15th century, where mother and outcast Albrun (Aleksandra Cwen) suffers the deep-rooted superstitions and misogyny of her community. Haunted by the death of her own mother and abused by her society, Albrun’s pursuit of self-empowerment brings her into contact with a foreboding evil.
Feigelfeld and cinematographer Mariel Baqueiro spoke with Daily Dead about their film that created a buzz on the festival circuit in 2019 and was hailed by critics as a standout horror film. The pair spoke about not deliberately intending to make a genre film, how it began with feelings, images and sound, and holding onto the vision across a two-year shoot.
Why film as a means of creative expression? Was there an inspirational or defining moment for you personally?...
Feigelfeld and cinematographer Mariel Baqueiro spoke with Daily Dead about their film that created a buzz on the festival circuit in 2019 and was hailed by critics as a standout horror film. The pair spoke about not deliberately intending to make a genre film, how it began with feelings, images and sound, and holding onto the vision across a two-year shoot.
Why film as a means of creative expression? Was there an inspirational or defining moment for you personally?...
- 5/11/2020
- by Paul Risker
- DailyDead
If “The Witch” had been directed by the early-career Werner Herzog of “Aguirre,” “Heart of Glass,” and “Even Dwarfs Started Small,” the result might have been something in the spirit of “Hagazussa,” Lukas Feigelfeld’s wholly arresting feature debut. Given the extended U.S. title “A Heathen’s Curse” to underline saleable supernatural elements, this enigmatic folktale-cum-horror is likely to flummox or even exasperate mainstream genre fans with its sparse plotting, slow pace, and near-impenetrable mysteries. But its mix of the poetical, repugnant, and phantasmagorical will weave a singular spell for more adventuresome, arthouse-friendly viewers.
Nearly two years after its premiere at Fantastic Fest 2017, it’s getting a limited U.S. theatrical release from Music Box’s genre subsidiary Doppelgänger, with a home-formats launch planned for the following week. Cult status is assured, and future work from Vienna native Feigelfeld — this is, incredibly, his film school graduation project — will be eagerly awaited.
Nearly two years after its premiere at Fantastic Fest 2017, it’s getting a limited U.S. theatrical release from Music Box’s genre subsidiary Doppelgänger, with a home-formats launch planned for the following week. Cult status is assured, and future work from Vienna native Feigelfeld — this is, incredibly, his film school graduation project — will be eagerly awaited.
- 4/18/2019
- by Dennis Harvey
- Variety Film + TV
IMDb.com, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb's opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. Please visit the source responsible for the item in question to report any concerns you may have regarding content or accuracy.