Interview: Lucía Garibaldi & Romina Bentancur – The Sharks (Los tiburones)

The apex of the ocean’s pyramid of predators, the mystic and misunderstood animal is most renowned for its powerful bite. Sundance preemed The Sharks (Los tiburones) introduces us to a new voice in Uruguay cinema where the female gaze takes inventory of ownership (and sabotage) of a burgeoning sexuality via precarious Rosina (Romina Bentancur), who much like the locals’ rooted fear, has predatory instincts of her own.

Set in a beach resort type of town, Lucía Garibaldi prescribes a down to earth poeticism and strong hint for mischievousness in this coming-of-age film that reminds of the cinema we find in Hansen-Løve, Martel and Sciamma. I asked the filmmaker (who was joined by her lead) about her process, the location, her main character and the synth embedded score.