Appearances
Nicolás Onischuk / Argentina / 2023 / International Premiere / 90 min
An atmospheric and dreamy picture poem from Argentina's vast La Pampa region, where ancient stories of spirits are evoked in dark and evocative images between reality and the beyond.
A plate of flickering candles under the trees at dusk is one of the evocative images that Argentinian filmmaker Nicolás Onischuk uses to answer the question: Can you make a documentary about the spirits and ghosts that live in the ancient stories that people have told each other for generations? The answer is: Yes, you can, as long as you have Onischuk’s unique ability to create images and evoke moods rooted in ancient folklore. We are in the vast La Pampa region in the heart of Argentina, where the inhabitants live outside the rationalistic logic of the modern world. Out here under the dome of the sky, the vast landscapes and arid vegetation are home to more than just people and livestock. ‘Appearances’ is an atmospheric and dreamlike visual work from a young filmmaker who is emerging as one of cinema’s most exciting new names.