18. Tempestad; movie review

TEMPESTAD
Cert TBA
105 mins
BBFC advice: TBA

Apparently, in Mexico, innocent people are shoved in jail because the authorities believe that someone has to pay for committed crimes.
Miriam, the subject of Tempestad's opening narrative, was arrested at her workplace, flown hundreds of miles to Mexico City and accused, without proof, of people trafficking.
She was told by the lawyer, provided by the state. that the police couldn't nail the guilty parties so politics deemed that someone had to take the rap.
The authorities are ambivalent to the fact that she had done nothing wrong and her life has been wrecked because of the violence she experienced and witnessed in prison.
Tatiana Huezo's documentary is quite different to any that I have seen previously.
The subjects tell their harrowing stories to the backdrop of the underbelly of Mexico where degraded people live in degraded buildings in degraded streets in degraded cities.
Miriam is never seen so it is as if she is reflecting not only on her experience but also on the state of the country.
Much of the blame for the wrecking of Mexico is placed on drug cartels, corrupt authorities and the huge number of immigrants from Central America.
This combination has created a society in which law-abiding, 'normal' citizens such as Miriam struggle to have a place.
Ditto Adela, the film's second subject, who talks about her life growing up in the circus and passing down the tricks of the trade to her family.
Ironically, she is a professional clown but behind the make-up are tears of an agonised mother whose daughter was kidnapped ten years ago.
Until today she has no idea where her Monica is.
Tempestad is a story of the agony of two women which is a reflection of the pain of a nation.
Its narration is biting, upsetting and shocking. Miriam's tale is bordering on the unbelievable because it is so savage. However, her words were so detailed that I was convinced she did not make them up.
In addition, I now know that she has been a friend of the director for 20 years and that makes this very personal story even more convincing.
Sadly, while I believed that Huezo's movie was important and compelling, I also found it terribly depressing.
I suspect that this was the effect she was seeking.

Reasons to watch: a grim tale of modern-day Mexico
Reasons to avoid: its stories are so grim they hurt

Laughs: none
Jumps: none
Vomit: none
Nudity: none
Overall rating: 8/10

Director's statement: Tatiana Huezo: "I believe that, in this country, somebody else has taken control of the course of our lives, of our our future, of our desires, of our dreams."

The big question: How was it allowed to come to this?

Share this post