The Swamp

Colour, 35mm
Argentina, 2001, 103 min
Section: Forum of Independents

Synopsis

Somewhere in north-west Argentina. The sun burns down on the earth and heavy tropical rain turns vast areas of forest into an impassable swampland, a deathtrap for both man and beast. In the middle of the swamp lies the only ranch in the region, La Mandragora. This is where Mecha spends her summer. Mecha is around fifty, has four children and a husband who dyes his hair. No real problem - or at least nothing that a couple of drinks won’t help solve. Tali is Mecha’s cousin. She also has four children: her husband loves his home, his children and hunting. After two unfortunate incidents, both families are obliged to live together in La Mandragora. Long-buried secrets are brought to the surface and it soon becomes a summer of hell for all concerned.

About the director

Lucrecia Martel (b. 1966, Salta, Argentina). Even as a child she made films about the various members of her family. In 1986 she began studies in Buenos Aires. She made several short films, of which Rey muerto (1995) was shown at various international festivals. The screenplay of her first feature film, La ciénaga, received the NHK International Filmmaker Award at Sundance in 1998.