I
watch a lot of screeners. Some are good. Some are flawed. Some are
various shades of terrible. And some are unforgivable. It’s the
ritual of being a film watcher. To get to the good, you must go
through the bad. You hope that you stumble upon a hidden gem, knowing
the odds aren’t in your favor. Every film critic is really looking
for something that really knocks your socks off. Every now and then,
you see a film that is powerful and deeply moving. This is that
film.
In
THE BASTARDS' FIG TREE, Rogelio, a powerful fascist soldier in the
Spanish Civil War, ruthlessly hunts down and eliminates Spaniards who
dare to go against the new regime. One night, when capturing a man
for execution, he locks eyes with the man’s ten-year-old son. Like
most human beings, he is overcome with terror and guilt. He is
convinced this boy will track him down and kill him once he reaches
of age. This paralyzing fear and guilt leads to Rogelio staying where
the grave of the boy’s father is to amend for his crimes and avoid
the son’s revenge by tending to the fig tree that is growing on the
grave. To say anymore would spoil where this wonderful film goes.
Directed
by Ana
Murugarren, The Bastards' Fig Tree is a marvelous film. I was
shocked by how well directed and confident that Murugarren’s work
is, especially considering this is her second feature film. Something
tells me that her work is going to blow up in the next couple of
years if she keeps making films as good as this.
The
framing and staging of scenes allows the audience to soak in the
world of the film. The stark differences between the lightness and
framing of the post war scenes and the darkness of the scenes during
war allow the audience to visually identify the cost and feeling
bloody conflict can have on the soul. We understand what war has done
to Rogelio and his country. Karra Elejalde is fantastic as Rogelio,
selling the characters journey in a believable and moving way. This
is a role that is quite challenging to play and he manages to bring
humanity and honesty to it in a way that many would struggle with.
The
Bastards' Fig Tree is one that resonates in these polarizing and
horrifying times. It is a film that is both darkly comedic and warm.
It asks questions that many films would avoid asking in a way that is
compelling and moving. With this kind of set up, you would imagine
that this is a revenge thriller. It’s not. It’s a film about
redemption and guilt. Can we come back from the horrors of war and
build something better in the ashes of so much blood and carnage? The
film is ultimately about the two paths a nation’s history can take
after turmoil: do we ignore the ugly stains of our own past or
embrace the mistakes and make amends as we move forward?
-Liam S. O'Connor
