" ... it seems like watching a portrait of timeless death and loneliness ... " -- this is from a comment of mine on this film on another webpage. At the start the whole approach is too scattered and seemingly without a focus. But that documentary-fiction kind of take of the film had a pull all through. After some twenty+ minutes it gradually became intense -- and finally all the pieces got together to create a very sad and lonely film about a dying village and the old people of the village going on living repetitively their celebrations that were more sad than sadness -- the repeating motifs of old age, sex, drug and everything portrayed only one thing -- that is loneliness. And what a take it was, so distant, dis-attached and aloof, yet intensely observant. It never romanticized, only depicted. That made it more ruthless. The violation of the woman -- alone and naked in the middle of nowhere, never spent a single second more than needed. And long shot became so very powerful all through. Very nice and touching film, I would say.
Plot summary
Halfway between documentary and fiction, Destello Bravío (Mighty Flash) tells the story of Puebla de la Reina, a little town set in the deepest heart of Badajoz, Extremadura (west-center to Spain). Apparently struck in time, living as generations ago, in this place their neighbors spend the days trapped by the remembers and ancient costumes front to an each more globalized world where the old folklore, traditions, myths, and lifestyles seem not to have space. With its population aging and the young ones moving from the town to the city, the remaining inhabitants live the best they can. In this way, Isa is a woman who records messages for herself for the day she dies or loses her memory; Carmencita "Cita" feels trapped in her marriage, in a house full of religious images of virgins and saints collected by her long-deceased mother-in-law; and María comes back to town after to become widowed, facing her own loneliness. In this gray environment where nothing extraordinary happens, halfway between bizarre and surrealism, women of the town dream of leaving behind their apathy and living all kind of liberating experiences to find their lost joy and meet again with the place where they dreamed to be happy.
Uploaded by: FREEMAN
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A Portrait of Timeless Death and Loneliness
The first film I've ever walked out of.
Well I lasted 30 mins into this...... I basically found this impenetrable, it's basically a series of conversations between groups of people that don't seem to have any connection, I'm sure they do however what I saw didn't engage me.
One scene I did find a bit disturbing was a woman laughing at her husband who she had walked out. Nasty.
This is disappointing as the cinematography is stunning. Too often though the scene switches from people at conversation to an outside shot. This was made more noticeable due to the score which was jarring. It's basically far too loud when it reaches a crescendo which happens over and over again. That was probably my main reason for leaving when I did.
My advice? Stick a limiter on the score or turn down the compression, that would make it watchable.