Delicate Balance
(Frágil equilibrio)
Guillermo García López | Documentary
2016 | 81 minutes | Chile, Mexico, Spain, Uruguay, Japan
Centered around an extensive interview with Jose “Pepe” Mujica, the former President of Uruguay who gained notoriety on the world stage as a rare politician: one that lives according to the ideas and principles he preaches, Delicate Balance is a contemplative essay on the everyday reality of globalization.
Synopsis
Centered around an extensive interview with Jose “Pepe” Mujica, the former President of Uruguay who gained notoriety on the world stage as a rare politician: one that lives according to the ideas and principles he preaches, Delicate Balance is a contemplative essay on the everyday reality of globalization.
Mujica’s ideas about modern society, where economic interests prevail over human values, are used to connect three stories: A Japanese salaryman in Tokyo, a sub-Saharan community trying to cross the borders into Europe, a family evicted from their own home in Spain. Three stories intertwined on three different continents.
The words of the President Mujica — a humble, soft-spoken figure who looks like a retired farm laborer rather than a retired politico — structure this clear-sighted documentary about the socio-economic mess we’re making of our world, but it also comes with suggestions from Mujica about how to change it for the better.
Ultimately, Delicate Balance is a proposal for change, from the particular to the general, that offers a powerful message of optimism for the future. This film is a reflection on the path that the human race is taking, on its habits and its relationship with the world.
Reviews
"Required viewing in a time of global crisis... A rangy, ambitious and surprisingly upbeat state-of-the-world documentary, this film is built around the wise words of former Uruguayan president José Mujica." — Jonathan Holland, The Hollywood Reporter
"This is a profoundly thoughtful film, that encourages you to think about more than just an immediate connection - about the deeper ties that bind." — Amber Wilkinson, Eye for Film
"Guillermo García López's debut feature Delicate Balance delivers an engaging discourse on the inequalities and ailments faced in modern society." — Christopher O'Keeffe, Screen Anarchy
Citation
Main credits
García López, Guillermo (film director)
García López, Guillermo (film producer)
García López, Guillermo (screenwriter)
Mujica Cordano, José Alberto (interviewee)
González Kühn, Pedro (film producer)
Godoy-Estel, Pablo (film producer)
Other credits
Cinematography, Pablo Bürmann; editor, Guillermo García López, Victoria Lammers; music, Zeltia Montes.
Citation
Cataloging
Pragda subjects
Criminal Justice
Culture + Identity
Economics + Social Class Issues
Fascism + Repression
History
Iberian Studies
International Relations
Labor Studies
Migration Studies
Political Science
Sociology
Urban Studies
Keywords
Clips
Festivals
Goya Awards® - Best Documentary
Cine Las Americas International Film Festival - Best Documentary; Audience Award
CinemAmbiente Environmental Film Festival - Audience Award for the Best Documentary
SEMINCI Valladolid International Film Festival - Best Spanish Documentary
International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam
Edinburgh International Film Festival
DIRECTOR: Guillermo García López
NATIONALITY: Chile, Mexico, Spain, Uruguay, Japan
YEAR: 2016
GENRE: Documentary
LANGUAGE: Spanish; English; French; Japanese; Other languages
COLOR / B&W: Color
GRADE LEVEL: High School, College, Adults
SUBTITLE/CC: AVAILABLE
AUDIO DESCRIPTION: NOT AVAILABLE
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