Strand Moves Reygadas Into the Light; Cannes Preemed ‘Post Tenebras Lux’ Finally Finds Distribution

Along with fellow countryman’s Michel Franco’s After Lucia, Post Tenebras Lux was until now, the criminally orphaned/unsold item from 2012’s Cannes Film Festival. It picked up jeers from most film critics (here was our sampling) while it was championed at the fests’ end by the very vocal jury members such as Nanni Moretti and Andrea Arnold (who honored the filmmaker with Best Director prize). Coming to the rescue is Marcus Hu’s Strand Releasing, who’ll be giving Carlos Reygadas’ latest a release at the Film Forum in May of next year, exactly one year since it preemed on the Croisette.

Gist: Childhood and adolescence memories, dreams of life, emotions and thoughts of the present existence. It’s a feature film with a loose plot link in its discourse but really clear in its poetics. It is not united by the plot but by the harmony in the expression of the feelings. It works like this: at a superficial level, by the stylistic coherence; at a deep level, making sense through the identity of the personal vision.

Worth Noting: Reygadas’ is 3 out of 4 (Battle in Heaven didn’t net any prize) in terms of film prizes at the Cannes Film Festival.

Do We Care?: Featuring Reygadas’ toddler-aged daughter and family dogs, the opening sequence, a 15-minute prologue is the year’s most breath-taking piece of cinematography. Ideal double bill should be this film followed by Silent Light.