Jauja (film)
Jauja is a 2014 Argentinian-Danish drama film directed by Lisandro Alonso, starring Viggo Mortensen. The film is set in Patagonia during the late 19th century.
Plot
The film follows Danish engineer Gunnar Dinesen (Viggo Mortensen) as he travels with his teenage daughter, Ingeborg, to a remote military outpost in Patagonia. Gunnar is employed to survey the land. Ingeborg elopes with a young soldier, prompting Gunnar to embark on a desperate and increasingly surreal search for her through the vast and unforgiving landscape. The film eschews a conventional narrative structure, prioritizing atmosphere and visual storytelling over plot exposition.
Cast
- Viggo Mortensen as Gunnar Dinesen
- Ghita Nørby as Carlina Olsen
- Viilbjørk Malling Agger as Ingeborg Dinesen
- Esteban Bigliardi as Lieutenant Pittaluga
Production
The film is a co-production between Argentina, Denmark, France, Mexico, the United States, and Germany. It was shot on location in Patagonia. Alonso stated that he wanted to create a film that felt both timeless and geographically ambiguous.
Reception
Jauja premiered at the 2014 Cannes Film Festival, where it was screened in the Un Certain Regard section and won the FIPRESCI prize. The film received generally positive reviews, with critics praising its evocative cinematography, haunting atmosphere, and Mortensen's performance. However, some critics found the film's pacing and ambiguous narrative challenging.
Themes
The film explores themes of colonialism, the search for utopia, the relationship between father and daughter, and the nature of reality itself. The film's title, Jauja, refers to a mythical land of abundance and ease, which serves as a metaphor for the characters' unattainable desires and the illusory nature of progress.
Awards
- FIPRESCI Prize, Cannes Film Festival (2014)
- Best Film, Mar del Plata International Film Festival (2014)
External links
- [https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2475736/ Jauja at IMDb]