A renowned filmmaker faces an existential crisis while journeying through the truth of his memories in BARDO, False Chronicle of a Handful of Truths. To be honest, that simple synopsis doesn’t sound all that unique, does it? Many films have tread a similar path, but this one hails from acclaimed director Alejandro G. Iñárritu in his first since 2015’s The Revenant.
Premiering at Venice where it competed for the Golden Lion, BARDO stars Daniel Giménez Cacho, Griselda Siciliani, Ximena Lamadrid, and Iker Solano. Judging by the trailer and some of the early reactions, the film finds Iñárritu indulging artistically, creating a world that is as much illusion as reality.
The film was co-written by Iñárritu and Nicolás Giacobone. It received mixed reviews after its Venice world premiere, with special attention given to the stunning visuals. To me, it looks like Iñárritu trying to do his own Roma, which, as much as I loved it, was wildly self-indulgent. The mixed reaction has led Iñárritu to trim 22 minutes off the initial cut…
“The first time I saw my film was with 2,000 people in Venice,” Iñárritu told IndieWire. “That was a nice opportunity to see it and learn about things that could benefit from being tied up a bit, add one scene that never arrived on time, and move the order of one or two things. Little by little, I tightened it, and I am very excited about it.”
The film now clocks in at 2 hours and 32 minutes, without credits.
BARDO, False Chronicle of a Handful of Truths will get a limited theatrical run on November 18th, before hitting Netflix on December 16th.
BARDO, False Chronicle of a Handful of Truths is an epic, visually stunning and immersive experience set against the intimate and moving journey of Silverio, a renowned Mexican journalist and documentary filmmaker living in Los Angeles, who, after being named the recipient of a prestigious international award, is compelled to return to his native country, unaware that this simple trip will push him to an existential limit. The folly of his memories and fears have decided to pierce through the present, filling his everyday life with a sense of bewilderment and wonder.
With both emotion and abundant laughter, Silverio grapples with universal yet intimate questions about identity, success, mortality, the history of Mexico and the deeply emotional familial bonds he shares with his wife and children. Indeed, what it means to be human in these very peculiar times.
