Final curtain from Valladolid
Here’s the last instalment of my Seminci 71 mini-series: a quick, honest wrap-up from the festival floor where I sat through a couple of very different films — one that asks you to slow your breathing, and another that prefers to keep its foot on the gas.
La libertad doble — a meditation that moves at a glacial clip
Lisandro Alonso is back in Argentina’s flatlands with a movie that swaps plot for mood. The setup is simple: a loner woodcutter, used to a hermit rhythm, suddenly has his quiet life upended when his sister turns up. The emotional friction is the movie’s engine, but the film spends most of its runtime luxuriating in long, patient moments.
If you like films that ask you to watch the air move, this one will be a treat. If you’re here for a narrative that prods you along, expect to doze off politely a couple of times. There’s also a faint political aftertaste — an eyebrow-raising comment tucked under the quiet — but it’s all delivered in whispers and long silences rather than slogans.
Bottom line: it’s austere, slow, and deliberately difficult. Great if you’re in the mood for a cinematic slow burn; not ideal if you need something that actually moves.
Oro sin ley — dusty thrills with a few loose ends
Think 1970s tough-guy cinema reworked for our time: gritty, kinetic set pieces and a general mood of suspicion. Padraic McKinley’s debut channels that era’s raw energy and pairs it with modern polish. It delivers several tense sequences that genuinely land, and Ethan Hawke reminds you why he’s still one of our most versatile actors.
But the movie isn’t perfect. Despite a respectable running time and flashy moments, the storytelling occasionally feels scattered. Threads are introduced and then abandoned, which leaves the finale satisfying on a surface level — thrilling, even — but a bit hollow emotionally.
In short: entertaining and well-staged, with charismatic lead work, but a story that could have used more focus and fewer dangling plot crumbs.
Last thoughts — who should watch what
Seminci served up two very different beasts: one for contemplative souls who enjoy being left with impressions, and one for viewers who want rough-and-ready tension with star power. If you want patience and atmosphere, go for the Pampas slow-burn. If you prefer adrenaline and grit (with a couple of unanswered questions), pick the Hawke-centred ride.
That’s it from me — fourth year covering this festival for the site, and still surprised by how wildly varied the programming can be. Until next time, keep your popcorn close and your attention span closer.