Those who regard cinema as a pleasure for the eyes will be richly rewarded by this pictorially stunning portrait of what the ancient Romans called “the end of the world” (hence the name “Cap Finisterre” on modern maps). The nickname in the title comes from the many shipwrecks that occurred among the rocks, mist, and storms of this beautiful stretch of wilderness in northwestern Spain. There is very little dialogue in the film, as its real protagonist is the rugged, majestic landscape of the coastline and its troubled relationship with loggers, sailors, farmers, and shellfish hunters. Lyrical and impassioned at the same time, Patiño’s feature debut celebrates the majesty of planet Earth while being utterly explicit on how humans are exploiting its resources. Explicit doesn’t mean judgmental, though, and there is no environmentalist agenda here; instead, we are presented with an exquisite portrait of nature where human activity, however destructive, is part of nature itself. Special presentation by Paolo Cherchi Usai.
Through the selection, manipulation, and reproduction of existing printed materials, Erica Baum creates a poetry of word and image that inspires close looking and close reading.