VENICE 2021: The Hole in the Fence ‘El Hoyo en la Cerca’
VENICEJoaquín del Paso's The Hole in the Fence is the most horrifying and frightening feature to be released at this year’s Venice Film Festival. Its calm and calculated demeanour projecting itself as something very different than what the viewer gets in return offers a nightmarish but brilliantly curated film.
While on paper, this is a story that would imply a very differing narrative, the result is a fabulous yet emotively uncomfortable experience that sticks under the skin for days – going as far as to say that this is the most chilling Friday the 13th film never produced. First and foremost, the aesthetic and cinematography are exceptionally well produced and calculated by the director of photography Alfonso Herrera Salcedo. It is stunning to behold the composition and framing of the background but also witness such a colour palette that pops. The frame constantly feels inviting and projects safety, only for the context of each frame to craft an oxymoronic and often horrifying depiction of events. Said relationship is a roller coaster ride of torment and emotional discourse, formulating a response that genuinely haunts throughout the feature’s running time.
Equally as effective is the feature’s cast, and throughout the project, they hold the weight and soul of the feature’s thematics exceptionally well. Not one of these young adults are out of place or let the side down. They all continually and consistently act far beyond their years, in turn, delivering devilishly robust projections of angst, lust and wonderful naivety that ultimately affect their standings in the social group. Not only does the theme feel accurate, but the group have chemistry and charisma with an authentic brutish ignorance that is encapsulated with terror and fright.
The Hole in the Fence is perfectly paced and, at a running time of just one hundred minutes, never outstays its welcome or overindulges in the feature’s themes. Granted, it balances such with a wonderful touch. Through the first and somewhat of the second portion of the film, the fright and uncomfortable nature are felt in another context; however, the titular motif implies a supernatural being or beast is aloof. Still, such a theme soon changes to take on another equally as harrowing and uncomfortable notion. When the film wants to get quite dark, it does so effectively and with little compromise.
El Hoyo en la Cerca is undoubtedly a tough watch, but it does so with meaning and thought. While some viewers may see it targeting a staple of South American identity of religious customs, it broadens its eyes to more profound and darker corners of the world in showcasing the power and evil of abuse and manipulation. The themes are powerful and no doubt uncomfortable but are handled with respect and honest brutality, and while the film might bite off a little more than it can chew in its final act, it crafts a morally ambiguous and haunting feature.
