The Absent

Pereda tells the story of an old man living in solitude on the coast, who has lost everything he owns, which was nothing more than the shabby roof over his head. The naturalistic rawness of the character's life accompanies his gradual dilapidation into the past. A court decision destroys his beautiful and peaceful solitude and, in the face of tragedy, induces him to emigrate from reality into a dream. Gabino Rodríguez, takes over the role of the naturalist from Oaxaca, who is the personification of his youth and hope, the bit of rationality, that lets us continue living by providing support on our path toward death. The absent are among us, Pereda seems to be trying to convince us, by releasing his character from the yoke of time. (New Horizons International Film Festival)