There's something jarring about Macarena Doldán Aristizábal's 19-minute dramatic short film Marcelo's Phantom. It begins with the restrained performance from Gerardo Farfán as Marcelo, an uninspired writer who travels by bus with notebook in hand searching for someone, anyone who will inspire him to write. 

One night, a strange man (Sebastian Aisen) steps in. 

Marcelo pays attention. 

Interested piqued, Marcelo rapidly gains an interest in this mysterious fellow. Marcelo's interest becomes obsession. 

Farfán's performance is one of intrigue, jarring yet we don't always know why. There's a suspense to the story that unfolds, yet nothing is quickly revealed other than the fact that Marcelo's left behind partner, Teresa (Maria Victoria Bruno), is increasingly dissatisfied with Marcelo's nightly disappearance and decreased time at home. 

The more we see Marcelo, the more we think we understand. Yet, Aristizábal isn't here to tell us an easy story nor to create absolute certainty. We see Marcelo's subtle shifts, physically and psychologically. We see the world around him shift, however, it is left up to us to determine just what all of this means. There's a sense of isolation, something resembling loneliness but not quite. Marcelo's dialogue with Teresa is sparse and distant, eventual dialogue with Aisen's Fermin is much the same. This ensemble doesn't so much underplay this story as refuse to overly dramatize it. 

Marcelo's Phantom experienced success along its festival journey capturing several prizes, however, it's fair to say this is a film for the more discerning cineaste willing to wrestle with visuals and dialogues and the silent spaces between the words. Cinematography by the team of Victoria Cvjetkovich, Alan Gabriel Diaz, Galo Gawlik, and Luz Mobarac Sequeira is glorious in its use of darkness and shadows, distance and uncertain reality. 

Aristizábal tells the story quietly, avoiding histrionics in favor of a natural believability that leaves the audience as uncertain as the characters. I'm loathe to share much more about the film, certainly not how the story unfolds. Suffice it to say that Aristizábal directs in a way that parallels the story itself and refuses to tell us more than we need to know. 

Disciplined and deeply felt, Marcelo's Phantom is a short film to watch for whether that be a festival near you or an eventual streaming release. 

Written by Richard Propes
The Independent Critic