The Cramp, a story about solitude

During the first screening of The Cramp, filmmaker Matías Meyer was
accompanied by his cast and crew, including one of the protagonists, Pablo
López. Meyer said that the idea behind making the film, characterized by its
long shots and slow pace, was his interest in breaking with the traditional
schemes of today, as he did with his short film Wadley. "I think a slowing down
is necessary in today's society. Human beings need time to process things to
think them over," he said.  

Speaking about his interest in film, he said, "I want to take advantage of
the opportunity to make films to create something more than simply
entertainment. I also am looking for an internal dialogue between the audience
and the screen. I want the viewer to complete the film, since there are many
things that are not spoken or told."

In relation to the timing of the film, he said, "The idea of the long slow
shots is so that the public can escape and think of other things and complete
the story according to his or her own experience. I am influenced by other
directors who utilize rhythms that are slow and provoke contemplation, from
Dreyer and Tarkovsky, to more contemporary ones like Lisando Alonso," he
said.

The audience who attended the screening at Sala 4 in Cinépolis Centro
applauded The Cramp, the fifth film in competition at FICM 2009.

Translated by Cindy Hawes