END OF THE CENTURY/ FIN DE SIGLO, Spain, 2019. Starring Juan Barberini, Ramon Pujol, Mia Maestro. Directed by Lucio Castro. 84 minutes. Rated MA (no information available).
The end of the century, months in 1999, is one of the settings of the action (plus contemplation) of this drama about two men and their relationship. In fact, this film seems to be about what was, what is, and what might have been.
The setting is Barcelona, a poet from New York, Ocho (Juan Bareberini), visiting and after 20 years. The first long minutes of this short feature, have him arriving, settling into an Airbnb wandering the city, gazing, photographing, going to the beach, reading, having a swim. While this is a rather poetic introductory portrait of Ochi, a number of viewers, becoming more impatient, have left the cinema at this stage. But, they have missed the relationship, the portrait of the two men, Ocho and his imagination.
The question arises, how much of this narrative is real and how much is in Ocho’s imagination. The encounter with the man at the beach, Javi (Ramon Pujol), the sexual encounter in his room, discussions, each man explaining what has happened to him during the past 20 years, leads to real or imaginative flashbacks as to their meeting 20 years earlier, their drinking, touring the city, going to art galleries. Have they really known each other before?
Then there is a dramatisation of their staying together over the 20 years, Ocho as a teacher, Javi and his media work, the relationship with the little daughter. Images of a rather idyllic life.
This is a film with a strong gay sensibility, in its portrait of the men, their sensitivities, their lives.
Released 2 January
Peter Malone MSC is an associate Jesuit Media