Ariel

A passionate search for a groundbreaking cinematic language has gradually become synonymous with the work of Spanish filmmaker Lois Patiño. Ariel—named after the sprightly spirit of the air in The Tempest—is a spiritual exploration of Shakespeare’s oeuvre (the idea germinated in dialogue with Argentine filmmaker Matías Piñeiro). The film follows an actress who travels to the Azores to perform the play, only to discover she has already entered it. It is Patiño’s most narrative work to date, his most direct approach to a fictional world—though one inextricably intertwined with reality. That playful blurring of boundaries also shines through in his decision to pair seasoned actresses Agustina Muñoz and Irene Escolar with an untrained local cast. From a dreamlike state, they cast an enchanting light on the existential riddles the Bard threw our way centuries ago. The answers linger in the latent unease, in the echo of the echo of the echo…