Both hope and sadness pervade Nostalgia of a (Still) Alive Heart.
It is a film whose premise features two young children, the 11-year-old Renee (Leslie Vazquez) and her younger brother Vito (Emiliano Gallardo Valencia), left to fend for themselves when their father (Daniel Borbon) disappears into the desert to die. Left only a letter explaining that he wishes to be reunited with their mother and instructions to head to the city, the two youngsters must find their own way through an arid Mexican landscape.
From its opening moments, Diego Gaxiola infuses Nostalgia with a magical realism that sits as a counterpoint to the grimness of its scenario. While laying the children to sleep before his departure, their father tells them a fable about a man who bred peacocks and would bury their hearts in the ground so their souls might live forever. This story is presented in the form of a beautiful hand drawn animation by Theo Lenoble, a technique which recurs at several other moments when the harsh reality meets the veil with something beyond.
There are various moments of humour and grace as the two children attempt to make their own way across country: from their hilarious joy ride in their father’s car – with one operating the wheel and another the brakes – to a sunset swim in an isolated lagoon. If anything, these moments of childlike playfulness and wonder only serve to deepen the poignancy of their predicament. In one sequence, Renee tells Vito that he must leave everything behind and, having buried its woolen heart to save its soul, he shoots a cuddly toy from a pile of rocks. There are various boundaries the children must skirt or cross in this journey – whether that is growing up or crossing over – and watching them do so is a quietly moving experience.
Director, screenplay: Diego Gaxiola Cast: Leslie Vazquez, Emiliano Gallardo Valencia, Daniel Borbon
Producers: Miguel Angel Gonzalez, Santiago Cervantes, Diego Gaxiola
Cinematography: Francisco Yanez
Editing: Natalia Gaxiola, Lena Fajardo Music: Ignacio Ferrarazzo Animation: Theo Lenoble
Production Design: Maria Jose Villalobos
Venue: Oldenburg Film Festival
In Spanish
28 minutes
