La cruz del sur

This is an exceptionally disturbing film. I've seen a lot of stories about crime and punishment: but this one beats them all (except Les Amants Criminel perhaps).

The setting of southern Argentina is cold, dirty, dark, gritty and utterly desperate. The inhabitants of these cursed territories carry a lifetime of misery on their shoulders and every choice they make is the wrong one. All they have is love for each other, but their survival instincts don't allow them to show their caring side. Even with death closing in, consolation escapes them.

The double motive of the sea and religion who give and take life and there for are the only way out, are inserted beautifully. Direction is raw, wild and uncompromising and fits the subject matter perfectly. There's almost no soundtrack and no dialog: there's not much to say anyway: the background noise destroys all soothing silence.

For a fictional debut of director Reyero, this is a very uncompromisingly rough film: but ravishing in its overwhelming ugliness.