From the 53rd San Francisco International Film Festival
The opening shot of this Colombian entry shows a deep, stark barren land. It then subtly shifts to several people digging a grave and burying a casket. This stark opening acts a contrast to this musically and visually colorful film that offers a full palette of experiences to be savored. The film could be considered “musical road picture” with varying degrees of music, merriment and travel. Director Ciro Guerra refers to it as” a story of a journey.” But don’t think of this film in the traditional traveling sense, the music evokes more emotions than most journey pictures.
Set in Columbia, The Wind Journeys highlights the experience of old time accordion player Ignacio (Marciano Martínez) who travels through the countryside, over mountain passes and through various villages in order to as he says, “to keep a promise.” That promise is returning the accordion to its rightful owner. Accompanying the old man, young enthusiastic teenager Fermin (Yull Núñez) who longs to learn to play the accordion and become more musically adept.
Director Guerra takes Ignacio through a gorgeous journey in areas that most people don’t see. The magical settings include cloud shrouded mountaintops, colorful farmlands, and lush riversides. Although the make a great travelogue on its own, the fact that a “possessed” accordion creates one of the numerous talking points in the film on adds to the depth. Along the journey Ignacio and his accordion (complete with devil horns poking from it) take part in several contests where local accordion players compete in a showdown complete with in your face lyrics. Reminiscent of “8 Mile” except here, instead of rap music, here the contestants rap with accordion accompaniment. Yo Yo Yo.
The movie offers heartfelt touches displaying the differences of the teenager and the old man and their goals, struggles, guilt and interactions with friends and strangers. Even though each has a different destination they still take the same path. The Columbian tourism agency might think about using Wild Journeys to promote an underrepresented part of Columbia. It offers a journey not of the typical tourist trip but rather one of grandeur, sprit, emotion and culture of Columbia.
