La Libertad
Nov 11 - Nov 14, 2009
(Lisandro Alonso, Argentina, 2001, 35mm, 73 min)
Seattle Premiere
Director in Attendance
The first feature by celebrated Argentine director Lisandro Alonso, La Libertad is a thought-provoking piece of minimalist realism. The actor playing the protagonist, a woodcutter named Misael, had never been to the movies let alone been trained as an actor. He spends his days chopping wood, transporting it, hunting and sleeping. Capturing every moment of Misael’s monotonous daily routine, Alonso’s close concentration on the mundane, repetitive exercises of every day life is unrelenting. This quietly lyrical film’s title “Freedom” takes on new meaning as it asks us to question the significance of the humdrum activities that fill our own weeks, months and years.
“Alonso's use of silence is remarkably contemplative while his use of light and shadow serves to compliment the woodcutter's serene relationship to nature.” —Ed Gonzalez, Slant
Watch the trailer:
