7 Boxes

I just saw this yesterday at the Santa Barbara Int'l Film Festival, after hearing about it earlier in the day from a Puerto Rican gentleman I met who said he heard it was good. It's kind of a Paraguayan "Pulp Fiction" with a little "Run Lola Run" thrown in. A teenage boy who works in a giant urban marketplace carting goods for people with a hand-truck gets unwittingly involved in some nefarious business when he agrees to transport seven mysterious boxes for a tempting sum of money. The young lead actor is good, and the rapport between him and his friend Liz rings with true universal teenage-ness. I understand the director has a background in music videos, which explains the snappy, fast-paced cinematography, which works to good effect. Chase scenes, suspense, and sweet moments of tenderness here and there keep the action moving along nicely. There is quite a bit of violence near the end, but none of it too bloody or gruesome. A very fun film!

This may be the first film I've seen from Paraguay although coincidentally it's neighbor, Argentina, has a highly regarded film industry that produces exception films. This film shows us, with it's imaginative narrative, a Paraguayan economy that is agricultural; marketplace driven; high income inequality where age (as in India for example) is no barrier to labor for survival. So what is the story? A young, high school age, man plies the market streets daily with his wheelbarrow asking shoppers & merchants if he can earn a few Guarani (the exchange numbers to US dollars will show you the inflationary pressures just to be able to afford a small meal) to haul their merchandise. His decision making shows a lack of formal education and his poverty shows a lack of resources e.g. even a cell phone. His only other exposure to technology is seeing a TV in a shop window where he imagines himself to be on the screen. Though a series of comedic and tragic missteps his dream is about to become reality. Acting, directing, cinematography, script, all on a low budget - well done!

Given the lack of the Paraguayan cinematographic production, I went to see this film with great skepticism at the 14th edition of the "Havana Film Festival" in New York City. The presenters had only compliments towards the movie, still my skepticism was there. Immediately after the movie started I could already feel the intensity and the high-speed dynamics of it. Putting it in few words, the acting was stunning to where the characters managed to take you right into the scene!...you just care for most of them in it, even a little for the bad guy and his sick son!! There were many very emotional and motivating moments and even thou things turn out in the most unexpected way, they show you all the interesting sides of humans...The director really achieved AN AMAZING, MOTIVATING, PASSIONATE AND VIBRATING WORK...CONGRATULATIONS!!

With both substance and style. Plenty of style here. We are taken through the maze of a large market place in Paraguay. And the plot – revolving around the main character (who is well played by Celso Franco) – is also a maze with many twists and turns. We are kept guessing as to what will happen next. The characters are all well done – and so are their interactions.

It's a swell film to watch with a reasonably good resolution. I can just imagine what Hollywood would do with this – pouring in loads of explosions and over-the-top gunfights. Instead we get a minimal exposure of violence – and instead of massive noise we get character development.

A low-budget yet high quality movie. From the guts of the impenetrable south American rain forest we have this Pulp-Fictionish Paraguayan flick. Compelling, thrilling, breathtaking. Great acting while it unveils the social reality of people in the borderline of poverty striving to survive... and provide for their families. The veil of the action flick will soon fall showing the naked truth... for the keen eye. For those (like me) who had the chance to visit this country painted with different shades of black and white it will be a sort of revival into the street market with its color, musical "guarany" accent, smells and a sort of human flock growing around you. Scary sometimes but always, always, thrilling. A must-see.