MQFF NOTES: Esteros (2016, Dir. Papu Curotto)

Two men who shared a tender friendship in their youths before being separated by their parents reconnect in rural Argentina. They pick up their respective insecurities where they left off giving ample space for director Papu Curotto to play the two time periods in parallel for dramatic effect.

Dramas like Esteros that aim for emotional delicacy rely heavily on the performances of their leads and the chemistry between them. Curotto gets it half right, well three quarters. Both the kids (Blas Finardi Niz and Joaquín Parada) put in solid work, it is just that one half of the adult couple (Ignacio Rogers) lets the team down and in the process pushes the film into “so what” territory. He’s whiny and irritatingly closeted (which we’ll put down to scripting issues) but also wood-faced and dead-eyed (and that’s all Rogers). It is difficult to care what happens to him. This, of course, leaves his tentative suitor hanging, which is a shame since the guy (Esteban Masturini) pulls out all the stops to get things sparking.

It’s not hard to see what Curotto was going for here and all the pieces are in place so I’m sure it’ll connect with many. I just couldn’t buy into this relationship’s dramas.

★★☆

Trailer:

Esteros screened as part of the Melbourne Queer Film Festival 2017. 

You can check out other films from the festival here.