Territorio de Delirio

With heads shrouded in white cloth, two figures embrace against a backdrop of mountains. What ensues in Emilia y Pablo’s Territorio de Delirio (Territory of Delirium) is 5 minutes of beautiful set ups, locations, and movement. There is no literal or linear narrative, but as many dance films do, it suggests an internal emotional struggle (although I’m not quite sure whose) dictated by non-linear stream of consciousness imagery, perhaps all heralding from a dream.

The film opens with a sleeping, then screaming man, a woman in a red dress twitching wildly as she washes first a tub, then a china dish that she soon smashes violently against a wall. But is it a dance film or a music video?

Territorio 3

The answer, as is increasingly the case with many shorts I see, is that it is both. And why not? As long as what we see is not stolen, I love the blurring of lines between commercial and art. Increasingly these two worlds are engaged in a dialogue, as well they should be given the dominion of media in today’s world. In Territorio de Delirio, the wardrobe, dancers, and locations are captured in beautiful cinematography by Carlos Guijarro and held together with stunning editing by Caitlin O’rorke—I particularly love one cut where a dancer’s move is delivered over a sigh. Direction and production is credited to Colectivo DELIRIO (The Delirium Collective). The dance element (uncredited) comes to life most for me in a lovely scene with the man and woman dancing in unison against a brick wall. The song is a beautiful Flamenco-esque ballad, which is completely appropriate as the filmmakers all herald from Spain.

Territorio 1

As a film to me it seems a bit young and ambitious and busy with a few too many ideas/set ups as well as some directionless melodrama. But all that is forgiven as we want youthful ambition!  Territorio de Delirio is certainly a lovely film with beautiful imagery.

Enjoy.

 

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