WATCH THE TRAILER HERE
First, the Recap:
Is there any more unsettled feeling than finding out you’re being used by something outside of your control in order that a specific aim is achieved? You’re a pawn, a servant, a slave to extraordinary forces beyond normal explanation. It is in the city of Encarnacion, Paraguay that friends Chris (Christian Cuadra), Alex (Alexis Amarilla), and Leila (Leila Benitez) find themselves listening to Chris’ excuses as to why he broke up with a beautiful young woman named Camila (Camila Sigaud), with his reasoning utterly illogical.
Living a privileged life, however, Chris moves on with little worries, only to discover a day later someone has placed the physical indicators on his front porch that a paye, a dark spell, has been placed upon him. Dismissing it out of hand despite Leila’s warnings about such matters, the situation grows more ominous when Chris inexplicably disappears. Desperate to find out what has happened to their friend, Alex and Leila ultimately locate him back at his home, but are shocked at what they learn. But, little do Alex and Leila realize as night falls, the true terror is only beginning.
Next, my Mind:
Representing the debut project for Paraguayan-Canadian director/co-writer/editor Marcos Codas, this 6-minute foray into the horror genre delivers the goods in fine, frightening fashion, but does so with a more subdued approach than what many might consider standard horror fare. Forgoing the concept of the oft utilized “blood and guts” format, Codas instead leans more in the general vicinity of efforts like “Blair Witch” and its ilk, with a mix of found footage cinematography and sequences designed to build suspense leading up to the film’s finale and, in this case, end credits, where a cleverly placed key factor that unites the narrative is provided. Just being frank, elements of the editing and overall execution are a tad uneven, perhaps requiring a little polish, but this will come with further filmmaking experience for Codas.
The four primary actors here–Cuadra, Amarilla, Benitez, and Sigaud, all work well in tandem throughout the effort, and in their individual roles as well, which does help events move along as smoothly as they can. For this reviewer in total, the acting was decent, not overwhelmingly great, but it suited the film’s purpose well enough. Being this is a debut project, the rough edges are going to show, and for me, this isn’t a bad thing. There is a place to recognize effort and determination in presenting the characters as plausibly as possible for the sake of the greater story being portrayed, and all four actors do accomplish this. Yes, there is room for improvement in the grand scheme of things here, but at least look beyond the budget or flaws to the heart of what Codas and company are attempting to do. That, to me, is the soul of indie filmmaking.
To summarize, “Kurusu Serapio” IS what indie efforts are all about. The sheer will to come up with a story, film it, edit it, and put a final product out there for all the world to judge is in itself an admirable feat, and one that Marcos Codas has completed. This reviewer applauds the effort, hopes it gets a chance to shine, and that it will open that many more doors for a newly minted filmmaker to just keep growing in skills and quality.
As always, this is all for your consideration and comment. Until next time, thank you for reading!
