This is one of the more minimal and contemplative films that I have seen come out of the labeled “Contemplative Cinema” genre (or movement?). The film is very formally interesting, lasting barely over an hour, and having no dialogue until the 30 minute mark. The film follows a young man as he cuts down trees to sell to a pole maker and his way of life as he lives alone in a forest. I am assuming that he is a young man, but I had trouble determining his age, as his physique and worn face suggests a man in maybe his mid-thirties, but his clothes, voice, and phone call to alert his mother of his status convinced me that he is probably a teenager.
When I saw Liverpool in TIFF, Alonso was present for a Q & A and let the audience in on a bit of his process. Up to this point, his method of working consists of finding a location first, and then he develops characters and a story that he believes are evoked by that location. This is a very interesting way of working in the sense that the characters feel like they are just as important as the background and the sounds of their surroundings. When I see Liverpool again, I am sure that I will enjoy it much more with this bit of knowledge, as watching Los Muertos and now La Libertad with this in mind making the viewing experience much richer. Aided by the pacing, I am able to imagine what sort of story I would make if I had chosen the same location, and in comparing what I would do to what Alonso has crafted, I can understand him as a filmmaker more than I can many other filmmakers. Filmmakers like Alonso, David Lynch, Apichatpong Weerasethakul, who sort of wear their thought processes on their sleeves are easily my favorite to watch.