Domingo y la niebla

"I don't want to lose what little I have left."

The mist creeping through the forest brings the spirit of a woman that Domingo professes to love. The aging loner is holed up in his small off-the-grid home much of the time with a plentiful supply of hooch. He ventures outside to talk to friends and relatives, take pot-shots at local thugs and developers, and obtain more booze. The developers are closing in on this prime real estate on the outskirts of San Jose, but Domingo wants nothing to do with them. "I am being nice and giving you money," says one of the agents "or we can do it another way." Losing the land is personal for Domingo. Imagine a cloud forced to live in a cardboard box. He won't do it, come what may.

A crackling fire, insects chirping at night, birdsong, and local music make up the soundscape of this atmospheric and dreamy film. Domingo and the Mist revolves around guilt, land conflict, inequality, and violence. It was the only Latin American film to play at Cannes.

Director Ariel Escalante Meza was present at this North American premiere screening in Toronto. He lived in the filming location twenty minutes from San Jose and got to know some of the locals before finalizing the script. 90% of the land in the area is owned by three people. Originally inspired by Ezra Pound, Meza decided to write the film's intriguing poetry himself to be more authentic. Also, he hired local actors, which turned out to be the right choice for they are full of genuine charm and are comfortable in the surroundings. "Costa Rica has violence, but we don't discuss it," said Meza "I am encouraging a conversation."