Neuchâtel International Fantastic Film Festival (NIFFF) - Thierry Fivaz
Time Share, is the story of a seaside ordeal. An ordeal experienced by Pedro, who had only one wish: to spend a pleasant vacation with his wife and son.
Hell is other people! These are the words that could sum up Time share, Sebastián Hofmann's second feature film. In this film, which has its Swiss premiere at the NIFFF (international competition), the Mexican director delivers a very particular vision of hell. Here, however, there are no demons or flying monsters à la Jerome Bosh; evil is elsewhere, almost invisible, lurking in the shadows. In the shade of parasols...
After a difficult year, Pedro (Luis Gerardo Méndez) can finally breathe a sigh of relief. Thanks to a particularly advantageous offer, he has been able to book, for a few days and for next to nothing, a small bungalow in a vacation village belonging to a major hotel chain: the dream! The sun, the pool, the peace and quiet - in short, a vacation that, as Pedro imagines, is ideal for reconnecting with his wife (Cassandra Ciangherotti) and son. If none flashback hen we see the past year on screen, we quickly realize how grueling it has been for Pedro and his family. His wife was committed to a psychiatric hospital, naturally upsetting their little boy, and he himself still bears the scars of these wounds, since throughout the film, Pedro's left foot is immobilized by a splint that, with every step, reminds him of the ordeals he endured, cruelly binding him to his past.
But much to Pedro's dismay, the long-awaited and much-desired dream quickly dissipates, and even turns into a veritable nightmare. The face of horror is that of a family of four, with whom Pedro is forced to share his small bungalow behind closed doors.
A horror without an executioner
Pedro's drama unfolds in a tasteless but glitzy advertising setting. A commonplace vacation village, where the density of holidaymakers per square metre crowded around the pool puts off the agoraphobic as well as the squeamish, but which is nonetheless a much sought-after little slice of paradise. A paradise that Hofmann takes pleasure in enhancing with romantic sunsets and translucent sandy beaches.
But here, no matter the children's cries, the deafening music, the organized activities, the peering eyes, promiscuity with strangers is tolerated. However, we still have a long way to go before we can accept them into our homes, as Pedro does. Perhaps, in fact, that's the only thing to remember about Time share, In other words, there's no need for an executioner, a villain or a sinister landscape: hell is other people. Or is it a film where nothing happens?
Time Share is indeed a rather ponderous film, with little rhythm. We're always waiting for something to happen, but nothing does. Fortunately, the cinematography is well-polished and colorful - which makes it look like an advertisement - and makes this feature film pleasing to the eye. However, Hofmann's intentions are open to question. If his aim was to criticize mass tourism and vacation villages or Club Med, it's a caricature and a little bland. If it was to highlight the difficulties of relationships with others, we'd have liked more emphasis and character. It's a pity. As it turns out, hell is paved with bad intentions.
For those who are already in the vacation mood, Time Share will be screened for the second time as part of NIFFF on Thursday, July 12 at the Théatre du Passage at 5:30pm.
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Write to the author : thierry.fivaz@leregardlibre.com
Photo credit: © NIFFF
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