Victor Erice, the celebrated Spanish director, breaks his three-decade-long hiatus with "Close Your Eyes," a narrative feature that is as engrossing as it is introspective. The first twenty minutes alone promises to captivate audiences, carving an early space for itself as one of the standout cinematic experiences of the year.
The film is set in 1947, unfolding in an estate outside Paris, Triste Del Rey. The central characters are an older man and a middle-aged Spaniard who dwell into discussions of life, loss, and the inextricable complexities of the human experience. The storyline is underpinned by the disappearance of a teenage girl believed to now be in Shanghai, igniting a succession of cinematic allusions and ensuing intrigue. The narrative actually represents two-thirds of an unfinished film, "The Farewell Gaze," the making of which fell apart when lead actor, Julio Arenas, abruptly left the set and disappeared.
Fast forward to 2012, the director of the unfinished movie, Miguel Garay, is now a troubled man, living on the edge of poverty. A television series named "Unresolved Cases" approaches him to discuss the uncompleted film and his vanished colleague. The programme takes Garay on an investigative journey through storage facilities and different parts of Spain, leading him to consult old acquaintances and reevaluate his life choices. Throughout, the film maintains an introspective tone, growing more contemplative as the story progresses.
The mystery unraveling itself two-thirds into the film doesn’t dilute the enigma, but only intensifies it. "Close Your Eyes" is a reflection on perception, recording, and the inherent mysteries of the unseen. By the finale, the audience is left grappling with an engrossing puzzle and much to mull over even after the end credits.
The cinematic references are not mere clever incorporations, but metaphoric pointers towards age and mortality. The quest of an octogenarian director is depicted with such raw emotional intensity that touches deeply, their urgency piercing through the film's unhurried pace.
