History of Fear

Fear, as the title suggests is at the forefront of Benjamin Naishtat's film. The film portrays fear and its reasons, through the lives of different people in the form of chapters. The is set in Argentina as a heat wave and built up smoke brings about anxiety which at least initially gets your attention though after a while the film runs the risk of becoming silly showcasing random fear which is exactly what happens when the light goes off. "History of Fear" relies on meticulous sound design to set the stage in scenes where many will find themselves flailing for sufficient context. Just how effective is this austerely conceived work at actually generating anxiety? It depends on many factors, but given that the director relies almost entirely on suggestion, the burden falls on the viewers themselves.