Al Oeste, En Zapata
SYNOPSIS
Landi and Mercedes are a married couple remaining in the marshlands of Zapata, the toughest area in Cuba. In the midst of a pandemic, shortages and social unrest, they must go to extreme lengths to provide for their son.
Balearic premiere. Opera prima. With the presence of the director.
Why must you see it?
A five-minute point-of-view shot that follows a man slowly moving along the swamp with a crocodile tied to his back. The image, in stark black and white, opens the film with a mesmeric force and announces the style that will define the entire story. David Bim introduces the viewer to a hostile and fascinating world, and, through long observation shots, he discovers a family in the middle of the Cuban ‘nothingness’. By avoiding narrative devices, he builds an austere and profound portrait of a little-known reality, where everyday life is elevated to the realm of poetry.
Andrea Guzmán
David Bim
Filmmaker based in Havana, he is director of the FICCLAB feature film development programme at the International Film School of Cuba. Since 2017, he has been developing his debut feature ‘To the West, In Zapata’, which will have its world premiere in the Official Selection of Visions du Réel 2025.
Year: 2025
Country: Cuba, Spain
Length: 75 min
Language: Spanish
Subtitles: English
Director: David Bim
Production: Ventú Productions
Editor: David Bim
