Isabella

Writer-Director Matias Pinero's ISABELLA centers on a pair of actresses, Mariel (Maria Villar) and Luciana (Augustina Munoz). Who are auditioning for the role of Isabella in Shakespeare's Measure For Measure. Pinero takes an elliptical approach as the story bounces forward and backward in time. There's also an art exhibition involving color hues (particularly purple) and rocks and stones that has been set up as a mental exercise in weighing one's commitment.

It's a puzzle box movie of sorts, but Pinero plays fair with the viewer and gives a very obvious visual cue or two as to when each scene takes place in the timeline. It's also quite a dense project considering it's brief 80 minute run-time. Villar and Munoz are very strong together and you come understand how each of them navigate the constant strain of the choices an actor must make in both their professional and personal lives. It's a heady mix, but, well worth the effort for adventurous viewers. It's quite striking to look at.

Mariel (María Villar) and Luciana (Agustina Muñoz) are two friends who meet again after a long time without seeing each other. Then other casual and non-casual crossovers will occur over the course of several months. They both audition for the role of Isabella in Shakespeare's Measure for Measure, and the brother of the former is the lover of the latter.

The different times in which the reunions take place are alternated (the narration comes and goes between them) and they find the two in different circumstances, locations and activities and, above all, at different times in relation to their vocation for acting.

The alternation of the times is resolved with great fluidity and does not create confusion in the viewer and the locations go from closed spaces to beautiful wild places, such as those of the Cordoba mountains, creating very different climates.

It is by no means the story of the competition for a theatrical role. Both friends act as mirrors in the way they resolve their vocation for the theater. Mariel is less self-confident and Luciana is more outgoing, more successful, at some point and even looks more "diva."

Both actresses endow their characters with great spontaneity and there is great chemistry between them, although the register is not naturalistic.

In Matías Piñeiro's films there are always references to the world of Shakespeare and they can be considered (especially this film) as essays or reflections on cinematographic and theatrical narrative devices (which the director crosses here). In this case, references to the color purple and the description of certain "cabals" or ceremonies are added at the time when the sunset is stained that color. These chromatic references (and the walks of one of the protagonists) and the film in general refer to The Green Ray, by Eric Rohmer, about signs that help to make decisions or provide certainty in the sunsets.

Matías Piñeiro won the Award for Best Director of the International Competition of the 35th Mar del Plata Festival and María Villar the Award for Best Performance in the same category.