Guest
Stripping narrative down to its bare bones, Pablo Lamar’s debut feature is an elegant entry in the slow cinema canon. After an elderly man helps an ailing woman take her last bite of food, he undertakes preparations for a cremation ritual, which is then interspersed with shots of flowing water and fire. Meticulously composed and free of dialogue, the film conveys mourning and grief through rhythm and time, each carefully chosen element imbued with symbolism. The journey Lamar offers is exquisitely rendered, and one well worth taking.
