A Technically Magical and Realistic Movie

The new movie directed by Horacio Alcalá releases the 4th of October, 2021. Finlandia belongs to the genre of magical realism. In my opinion, it has some elements consistent with documentaries related to its genre. It focuses on the muxhe community, a group of Zapotec people who identify as a third-gender, and the journey of Marta, a young designer, who comes to the region of Oaxaca in order to copy local clothing traditions and styles and bring them back to Europe.

The movie has some realistic elements that are related to its setting mostly. The decor has not been altered, and the director shot the authentic streets and places of devotion of the Zapotec people. The viewer enters the world of the inhabitants of Juchitan de Zaragora through the food, life, architecture, and social life on the screen.

In addition to the setting, natural light also adds realism to this story. Most of the scenes are shot outside and illuminated by the powerful Mexican sun, which intensifies the incredible landscape and colors of the muxhes' traditional clothing. Finlandia gives us an upclose insight into the process of creation and production of their designs, which are mostly made by the muxhes themselves.

The cinematic techniques based in magical realism used in Finlandia urge us to dream. Nature has an important role that symbolically shows the emotion of the muxhes and affirms its power through natural events. Some shots reinforce the idea that human beings are a grain of sand compared to the immense might of nature. The wailing wall is shown within a large shot that juxtaposes the size of a human with its own to remind us that we are nothing compared to nature.

Time is often slowed down in order to give a sense of dissolution. This also provides a magical effect while giving intensity to the characters' actions and emotions such as when they're praying to the wall or when Mariano gets bullied. Slow motion is used in a very powerful scene of a dinner between the European which represents a critic from a sophisticated and arrogant world talking down to people living a more simple life.

Catholicism and religious figures are present in the movie as well, and in my opinion, they reinforce these magical and metaphysical aspects. The shots play with these figures by placing Mary between Delirio and Amaranta, and Jesus above them while only displaying their heads.

Finlandia succeeds in being a meaningful documentary of both Mexico and the muxhe culture. It opens our minds and gives us a fair and deliberate vision of Latina America that encourages us to improve our tolerance in the face of difference.

Spanish-language cinema across Spain and Latin America is united by its engagement with history, cultural identity, and social transformation. In Spain, films often balance artistic experimentation with popular genres while reflecting on memory, politics, and family. In Latin America, cinema has been deeply tied to questions of colonial legacy, resistance, and community resilience, ranging from intimate dramas to bold political allegories.

Ana Torrent in The Spirit of the Beehive (1973)

The drama genre is a broad category that features stories portraying human experiences, emotions, conflicts, and relationships in a realistic and emotionally impactful way. Dramas delve into the complexities of human life, often exploring themes of love, loss, morality, societal issues, personal growth, with the aim to evoke an emotional response from the audience by presenting relatable and thought-provoking stories.

Mahershala Ali and Alex R. Hibbert in Moonlight (2016)

The fantasy genre features imaginative and often magical worlds, characters, and events. It explores realms beyond the boundaries of reality, featuring elements such as magic, mythical creatures, supernatural powers, and fantastical settings. These stories can take place in entirely fictional worlds or blend fantastical elements with real-world settings.

Elijah Wood in The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)

Belonging to a community of muxes - untethered by the gender binary - Delirio, Amaranta, Mariano traverse their past, present, and future.

Ángeles Cruz, Noé Hernández, Andrea Guasch, Leonardo Alonso, Cuauhtli Jiménez, and Erick Israel Consuelo in Finlandia (2021)

Get a closer look at some of Hollywood's perfect pairs.

Hollywood Power Couples

Get a closer look at some of Hollywood&#39;s perfect pairs.

See which big screen releases you can watch from the comfort of your couch.

Theatrical Releases Coming to Streaming

Get a closer look at these actors from their many TV and streaming series roles.

Streaming Stars, Then and Now

Irène Jacob, Kaori Momoi, Sofía Espinosa, Kristyan Ferrer, Mauricio García Lozano, Paulette Hernandez, and Adriana Llabres in Tales of Mexico (2016)

Iván Arana, Rodrigo Corea, Ximena Romo, and Christian Vazquez in Two for the Girl (2009)

Adriana Llabres in All the Silence (2023)

Ángeles Cruz and Erick Israel Consuelo in Finlandia (2021)

Finlandia

Videos1

Photos7

Top Cast11

User reviews1

More like this

Related interests

Storyline

Top picks

Details

Box office

Tech specs

Contribute to this page

More to explore

Recently viewed