A tale told in three parts, Pescador is a moving human folk tale from the nimble imagination of Harry Rossi. This is Rossi’s first feature-length film. Dear Reader, this is a must-watch. The three-part tale concerns three seemingly disparate people: A Marine Biologist (Alex Wanebo) traveling across Costa Rica in search of a semi-mythical fish. Next, there’s the Fisherman (Mario Chacón), who is doing his best to make a living, wishing the universe would grant him a child. Finally there’s Trent (Spencer Bang) Trent may well be related to the Marine Biologist. He will wind up living as part of the family and crew of The Fisherman – El Pescador – in Costa Rica. How these three interact and blend within the three-part story structure is both eerie and whimsical.
South America perfected magical realism. Central America is an extension of those story traditions that excel at that particular genre. And Pescador is an intriguing example of it. I love the detail that the Fisherman, our eponymous character, has a friendship with a lobster he caught and released. The Lobster gives some fantastic and yet demented advice on parenting. This is heady stuff, watching a middle-aged Pescador attempt to take this unwilling young Trent under his wing. Great comedy unfurls itself slowly as Trent stops trying to escape and accepts his circumstances.
“Pescador is a moving human folk tale from the nimble imagination of Harry Rossi.”
The Marine Biologist, conversely, has a tale that mostly seems to revolve around her need to travel to all the freshwater lakes, rivers, and creeks in search of this particular fantastical fish. Society only functions if everyone is willing to treat others as they wish to be treated. The Marine Biologist, being self-described as ‘comfortable,’ feels no need to treat people nicely. The only scene in her story where she is polite to her hosts is when she is sharing dinner with a pair of Academics. Apart from that, the Marine Biologist is solely focused on reaching the next observation point for her quest to find this fish.
The writing and directing of Pescador were both committed by Harry Rossi. In both departments, Rossi excels. There’s a fluid naturalism to the acting from everyone involved. There are also awkward comedic moments that are excellently timed. Of the many dramadies – magical or otherwise – these eyes have seen, this is a great one. I love the use of natural light in Pescador. There is no studio lighting to speak of in the entire film. Rather, Rossi and his crew take a quality digital video camera and capture places in Costa Rica as they are. This grants Pescador a lived-in aesthetic that I greatly enjoyed, Dear Reader.
They say your first film is a business card for introductions. In this regard, Pescador is a greeting card you should absolutely collect, Dear Reader. Even as its story comes apart with wild abandon in the third of these stories, Rossi’s film is a magnificent effort that successfully conveys its essence to the very last breath. There have been a great deal of wonderful first films this summer, Dear Reader, and Pescador is another shining example. Check it out when you have the chance.
"…a magnificent effort..."
