2023 CAMDEN INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL REVIEW!
In Argentina a group of slaughterhouse workers discuss their job and what it means to them. That discussion quickly shifts, however, becoming something far more emotional. They discuss their families, their fears, and the difficulty of doing what they do. A Robust Heart shows you that there’s more than meets the eye.
As A Robust Heart concluded I asked myself “what was the point of this?” It took me some time to digest the things that I had just heard and saw, and I find it interesting that a film that’s only eleven minutes in length managed to make me think so long after it ended. There’s more to this short film than just the simple conversations that take place throughout–it’s far deeper, and the subject matter of those conversations will, without a doubt, reach viewers.
A Robust Heart moves incredibly fast, and by the time I realized what the film was about it was just about over. I think this played into the fact that I was forced to think about it once it had concluded. The film is incredibly direct, never beating around the bush, never attempting to be something that it’s not. There are no frills, there is nothing exciting about the film–and it just remains true to itself and the individuals showcased throughout. I appreciate the simplicity present in A Robust Heart, because it doesn’t distract from the film’s purpose: to educate. It doesn’t attempt to educate in the typical sense, but in the way that they want viewers to be able to look introspectively and understand all of the positives that exist in our lives. However, it’s never pushy–it never tells viewers what to think, and those viewers are ultimately tasked with figuring these things out on their own.
The thing I like the most about this film is the way in which these individuals are presented to viewers. They are never meant to look tough, larger than life, or anything other than typical. A Robust Heart wants us to see normal people, they want us to see ourselves in the people on screen. The opening few seconds of the film sees someone discussing with the interviewer about wanting to be clean before he sat down in front of the camera. He’s conscious of the way he looks, he’s conscious of the way that others will see him, and he wants to make sure that he looks his best. Director Martín Benchimol does a wonderful job of remaining honest throughout–allowing A Robust Heart to be accessible from start to finish.
I’m not sure that you’ll find a documentary that’s more straightforward than A Robust Heart. It’s a simple question-and-answer session in which the subjects of the film tell the world their individual and collective stories. They are likable, honest, and real–and not a second passes that viewers won’t be able to appreciate the stories that they tell. A Robust Heart is grounded, more so than anything I’ve seen before.
Directed by Martín Benchimol.
Starring Gustavo Correa Costa, Marcelo Gaitán, Mario Moreira, Claudio Gandolfo, Brian Ruiz, etc.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/10
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