Undertow (Contracorriente) (2009) directed by Javier Fuentes-León

[reviews_and_ramblings]

An unusual ghost story set on the Peruvian seaside; a married fisherman struggles to reconcile his devotion to his male lover within his town's rigid traditions.

Director: Javier Fuentes-León

Writer: Javier Fuentes-León

Release Date: 16 April 2010 (Colombia)
26 January 2010 (Sundance Film Festival, USA)

Genres: Drama

Storyline: In a tiny Peruvian seaside village, where traditions run deep, Miguel (Cristian Mercado), a young fisherman, and his beautiful bride, Mariela (Tatiana Astengo), are about to welcome their first child. But Miguel harbors a scandalous secret. He’s in love with Santiago (Manolo Cardona), a painter, who is ostracized by the town because he’s gay. After a tragic accident occurs, Miguel must choose between sentencing Santiago to eternal torment or doing right by him and, in turn, revealing their relationship to Mariela—and the entire village.Written and directed by Javier Fuentes-León, and featuring a sizzling international cast, Undertow (Contracorriente) is rich in the details of legend, tradition, and locale; and it is in these details that the truth lies. Strikingly photographed to accentuate the majestic Peruvian coastline, this sexy, haunting love story transcends place and time.

Awards: 2010 Audience Award in the Ibero-American Competition to Javier Fuentes-León, Miami Film Festival
2009 Sebastian Award to Javier Fuentes-León, San Sebastián International Film Festival
2010 Audience Award in the World Cinema - Dramatic to Javier Fuentes-León, Sundance Film Festival
Grand Jury Prize Nomination in the World Cinema - Dramatic to Javier Fuentes-LeónSundance Film Festival

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Cast (in alphabetical order)
Tatiana Astengo ... Mariela
Manolo Cardona ... Santiago
Cristian Mercado ... Miguel

     
Mico & Tiago

Comments

[elisa-rolle.livejournal.com]

This is probably one of the most beautiful but sad gay themed movie I have seen this year. It's so romantic and so dramatic that I didn't know if I wanted to smile to the clear and wonderful love I could read in Mico and Tiago's eyes, or cry for the not happily ever after that I was obviously approaching.

It's not much of a spoiler, since it's in the blurb of the movie the production house released, but if you don't want to know more, stop read here. This is a ghost story, meaning that Tiago and Mico are lovers, and they are since they were young and Tiago was spending his summers in Mico's little seaside village. But now Mico is married and his wife is pregnant. It's clear that more than his wife Mico desperately loves the child they are waiting. Mico loves his wife with a love that you can have for a dear friend, he is a good husband, but there is no passion between them. The passion is all for Tiago, and their love is so strong that Tiago accepts to be Mico's little dirty secret, to share pieces of his life from afar and to endure the village's disapproval for the "maricon", as if he was the only one. The in a odd accident that is not clear if it's a suicide or a stupid accident (I think the second one), Tiago drowns, but his spirit is trapped with Mico. Why? Is their love so strong that Tiago doesn't want to leave Mico? maybe. Or maybe it's time for Mico to admit who he really loves, and with this admission, he will at the same time free and lose Tiago. And at this point I was in tears.

The setting is wonderful, the use of the characters' facial expression masterly, the feelings were conveyed more with images than words. Even the sex scenes between Tiago and Mico (and yes, for who loves a romance movie with also physical expression of that love, you will find it here) are more art than sex.

So I strongly recommend this movie, but bring with you a box of cleenex.