Simon of the Mountain

Simon de la montaña

Argentina, Chile, Uruguay / 2024
Spanish, subtitles in English
96 min
Suitable for audiences aged 12 and above
Director: Federico Luis
Screenplay: Federico Luis, Tomas Murphy, Agustín Toscano
Cast: Lorenzo Ferro, Pehuen Pedre, Kiara Supini
Production: Argentiina, Chile, Uruguay
Print Source: Luxbox
Drama

Screenings

Unusual in tone and content, “Simon of the Mountain” is a small, low-budget drama in which the title character tries to find his comfort zone. Unfolding in short vignettes, the Argentine feature centers on a group of nonprofessional performances: independent-minded adolescents with cognitive disabilities. The only professional actors featured on-screen play the title character and the working adults they interact with. The open-to-interpretation debut feature from prize-winning shorts helmer Federico Luis challenges viewers’ preconceptions about his characters and won’t be to every taste. But the intimate drama has definitely found fans, as indicated by its warm reception from the jury of the Cannes Critics’ Week, where it nabbed the Grand Prize last week.

Alissa Simon / Variety