AFI FEST Report: Stories of Disenchantment (Historias del Desencanto) Review

Once again we are fortunate to have Peter Martin with another review from AFI Fest. From Mexico we get his thoughts on STORIES OF DISENCHANTMENT and something about a singing heart and sharp teeth. I kid you not. Read on.

STORIES OF DISENCHANTMENT is either a brilliant surreal fable or a self-indulgent piece of cinematic twaddle.

The plot entwines two innocents with an otherworldly woman. Exploring a warehouse that's been left unlocked, Ximena (Ximena Ayala) and Diego (Mario Oliver) spy upon Ainda (Fabiana Perzabal) undressing, then freak out when Ainda sprouts wings. Nonetheless they accept an invitation to her art exhibition that night. Naturally they all end up in bed together, and naturally Ximena and Diego are each drawn to Ainda. Though leading two young people down a decadent path of drug abuse and sexual experimentation might be enough for most people with two wings, Ainda must also deal with the ghost of her dead boyfriend.

Forget about the plot, though. What is most likely to attract or repel is the visual style. Director Alejandro Valle animates every frame with a dense layer of graphics, from squiggles to small splashes of color to weird CGI graphics in the corners. That's on top of a low-budget, washed-out look, and wobbly camera work, crazed angles, and rapid fire editing. For some people that will sound fascinating, but it may not accurately convey the sensation of being assaulted by these images on a big screen for 120 minutes.

A small group of people walked out in the first 10 minutes, but the remaining crowd in the 200-seat theater remained, and most seemed to enjoy it, even applauding at the conclusion. My initial reaction was dismay that I had chosen this film instead of two or three others playing at the same time, followed by jaw-dropping incredulity that the film had been programmed. When someone asked me if I loved or hated it -- the questioner loved it, calling it David Lynch meets Salvador Dali -- I said I hated it.

But "hate" is not the right emotion to describe my response. True, the film's length is excessive, with far too much repetition without variation for its running time. Yet the film isn't boring, because director Valle keeps his graphics pulsating on top of the ostensible narrative, and the two women (and the guy, it should be acknowledged) keep losing their clothes, and musical numbers keep breaking out.

The best of these -- the best sequence in the film for me, and one of the most awesome musical numbers I've ever seen -- features Diego's heart bursting out of his chest, baring razor sharp teeth, and singing a profane rebuke of Diego's romantic stupidity.

As a whole, it's not something that I personally would want to experience again, but it will likely creep into my dreams, and any film with that potential deserves attention.

I haven't been able to find a trailer, which would undoubtedly give you a better idea of what the film is about. A little more information is available at the festival web site here.

STORIES OF DISENCHANTMENT has also played at the Sao Paulo, Chicago, and Boston Latino film festivals, and
it's had playdates in San Francisco. The film is from Mexico, so it may appear at Latin showcases. I have no doubt that it will keep popping up in the months to come at locales that welcome more esoteric fare, simply because it's a rare, unique vision. If you're a fan of experimental cinema, keep your eyes peeled.