Silent Light (2007) Stellet licht (original title)

Director:

Carlos Reygadas

Writer:

Carlos Reygadas

Release Date:

12 October 2007 (Mexico)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

In a Mennonite community in Mexico, a father's faith is tested when he falls in love with a new woman.

Plot Keywords:

Mennonite | Extramarital Affair | Mexico | Hat | Van

Awards:

29 wins & 6 nominations

Cast

Cornelio Wall	...	Johan
Maria Pankratz	...	Marianne
Miriam Toews	...	Esther
Peter Wall	...	Padre
Jacobo Klassen	...	Zacarias
Elizabeth Fehr	...	Madre
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Jacques Brel	...	Himself (archive footage)

Directed by
Carlos Reygadas

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Carlos Reygadas

Produced by
Jeroen Beker	....	co-producer
Rémi Burah	....	co-producer
Jean Labadie	....	associate producer
Carlos Reygadas	....	producer
Jaime Romandia	....	producer
Frans van Gestel	....	co-producer

Cinematography by
Alexis Zabe

Film Editing by
Natalia López

Art Direction by
Nohemi Gonzalez

Production Management
Luisa Blanco	....	assistant production manager
Gerardo Tagle	....	director of production

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Alex Ezpeleta	....	first assistant director

Sound Department
Jaime Baksht	....	sound mixer
Michelle Couttolenc	....	sound mixer
Sergio Diaz	....	supervising sound editor
Martín Hernández	....	supervising sound editor
Raúl Locatelli	....	sound

Visual Effects by
Juan Manuel Nogales	....	visual effects supervisor

Camera and Electrical Department
Jonathan Leys	....	grip assistant
Nicolas Martin	....	Steadicam operator
Daniel Valdes	....	assistant camera

Editorial Department
Paulino Fernández Ibáñez	....	digital intermediate colorist (as Paulino Ibáñez)

Thanks
Alfonso Cuarón	....	thanks
Alejandro González Iñárritu	....	thanks

Production Companies

• Mantarraya Producciones
• No Dream Cinema
• Bac Films
• Arte
• Estudios Churubusco Azteca S.A.
• Fondo para la Producción Cinematográfica de Calidad (FOPROCINE)
• Instituto Mexicano de Cinematografía (IMCINE)
• Motel Films
• Nederlands Fonds voor de Film
• Ticoman
• World Cinema Fund
• arte France Cinéma

Distributors

• Bac Films (2008) (France) (all media)
• Arte (2008) (France) (TV)
• Filmmuseum Distributie (2008) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Look Now! (2007-2008) (Switzerland) (theatrical)
• Alive Vertrieb und Marketing (2012) (Germany) (DVD)
• Golem Distribución (2007) (Spain) (all media)
• Gutek Film (2008) (Poland) (all media)
• Look Now! (2008) (Switzerland) (all media)
• Mantarraya Producciones (2007) (Mexico) (all media)
• Metro Tartan Distribution Ltd. (2007) (UK) (all media)
• Palisades Tartan (2009) (UK) (all media)
• Palisades Tartan (2009) (USA) (all media)
• Seville Pictures (2008) (Canada) (all media)
• Video Film Express (2008) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Øst Für Paradis (2008) (Denmark) (all media)

Other Companies

• World Cinema Fund  with the support of

Also Known As:

"Stellet licht" - Mexico (original title)

Runtime:

145 min | France:142 min | Netherlands:135 min | Canada:127 min (Toronto International Film Festival) | USA:136 min

Country:

Mexico | France | Netherlands | Germany

Language:

Low German | Spanish | French | English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby | Dolby Digital

Certification:

Switzerland:7 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:7 (canton of Vaud) | UK:15 | Ireland:15A | Australia:M | Portugal:M/12

Filming Locations:

Chihuahua, Mexico

Company:

Mantarraya Producciones

Trivia:

Martin Scorsese called this film "A surprising picture, and a very moving one as well."

Surrender to the veracity and have your vitals pulped.

I am officially senior this year and I have seen a lot of movies, but I doubt if I will ever see a better one than this. I find it hard to analyse why it is so amazingly magic and captivating. I'll try not to bore you, as I have done to all my friends who haven't seen it. I think the ambient sound-designed soundtrack and the restrained, poignant and profound dialogue are the most revelatory aspects of the films construction. Indeed I can't think of another film comparable for emotional clout using such economic material. Although I share the filmmakers disappointment that his film is not embraced by a larger audience, I was lucky enough to see this movie in an all but empty cinema in London and joyfully, tearfully and emotionally sucked in every molecule off the screen and surrendered to its visceral magic. It could be twice as long, I don't care it was utterly beautiful. It felt totally authentic, real and relevant to me. There were admittedly, a lot of personal resonances for me in there. I had just been on a mature gap to a rural part of Australia visually similar to Mexico and most of the time I was driving around in my ute in torrential rain or baking sun. No telly, no adverts, no phones and no urban pressure....bloody delicious. Some of my ancestors were Mennonites so I am very sympathico to their lifestyle ethos. Anyone who has been in such a love-triangle will recognise the veracity of the plot. I was totally blown away back in my own time during it and revisited Stellar Licht for weeks and weeks after wards. I would love to watch again but I think it needs the big screen.