The Cow Who Sang a Song Into the Future

« The film uses magical realism to blend the story of a family deeply scarred by a suicide decades ago, and a fable of Mother Nature crying out for help. Thankfully, Francisca Alegría’s feature debut manages to be hauntingly moving and hopeful instead of angry and pessimistic. »
IndieWire

Synopsis

When thousands of fish die in a polluted river in southern Chile, Magdalena, a woman long-deceased, emerges amongst their lifeless bodies. Magdalena encounters her widowed husband, sending him into a state of shock and prompting the return of their daughter, Cecilia. Magdalena’s presence and her effect on the environment stirs curiosity and fear among her family. As the past comes into focus, mother and daughter are met with the opportunity to change the future.

Festivals & Awards

  • 38th Sundance Film Festival: International Competition, 2022
  • 65th San Francisco International Film Festival: Cine Latino, 2022
  • 48th Seattle International Film Festival: Official Selection, 2022
  • 39th Miami International Film Festival: Official Selection, 2022
  • 37th Guadalajara International Film Festival: Official Selection, 2022
  • 46th Cleveland International Film Festival:  New Direction competition, 2022

Cast

Leonor Varela, Mía Maestro, Alfredo Castro, Marcial Tagle, Enzo Ferrada, Luis Dubó

Crew

Script: Francisca Alegría, Fernanda Urrejola, Manuela Infante
Cinematography: Inti Briones
Sound: Benoît Gargonne, Thomas Robert
Editing: Andrea Chignoli, Carlos Ruiz-Tagle
Music: Pierre Desprats
Producers: Tom Dercourt, Alejandra García
Co-producers: Bruno Bettati, Andrés Wood, Michael Weber, Viola Fügen, Shrihari Sathe
Associate producers: Dan Wechsler, Jamal Zeinal-Zade, Andreas Roald, Augusto Matte, Matias de Bourguignon, Sophie Erbs, Burkhard Althoff, Doris Hepp
Production: Cinéma Defacto (FR), Wood Producciones (CL)
Co-production: Match Factory Productions (DE), Jirafa Films (CL), ZDF – Das kleine Fernsehspiel (DE)
In association with: Dialectic (US), Persona Entertainment (US), Whitewater Films (US), Bord Cadre films (CH), Sovereign Films (UK)

Technical data

Format: DCP / colour / 5.1
Runtime: 98′
Released: 2022
Language: Spanish
Subtitles: English, French
Original title: La vaca que cantó una canción hacia el futuro