Alamar (2009)

Alamar ( Mexico 2009 - 70min.)  Directed and written by Pedro Gonzalez-Rubio


Drama starring Jorge Machado and Natan Machado Palombini. Before his ex-wife moves back to her native Rome with their five-year-old son, Jorge decides to teach young Natan about his Mayan origins by taking him to the Banco Chinchirro, the largest coral reef off the coast of Mexico. The longer father and son spend together, the more unforgettable the experience becomes.

Shot in documentary style but presented in widescreen and with gorgeous use of light and colour it's obvious from the opening five minutes that Gonzalez-Rubio's film is a drama rather than a straightforward  fly-on-the-wall film.

The edges of reality and fiction are further blurred by the naturalistic style of the actors and the frequent depiction of everyday tasks (although these are presnted in the most cinematic way possible).

It's a slight film but an obvious labour of love and immense care has been taken to present the location in the best possible light.

Part autobiography, part-eco warning and part attempt to capture a disappearing lifestyle the film adds up to far more than the sum of it's parts.

Highly recommended.