Chilean Filmmakers Bring Intimate AIDS Drama “The Mysterious gaze of the Flamingo” to Sundance and Oscar Consideration
PARK CITY, UT – Diego Céspedes’ debut feature, “The Mysterious Gaze of the Flamingo,” is garnering critical attention after premiering at the Sundance Institute and being selected as Chile’s entry for the 96th academy Awards. The film, a poignant exploration of childhood innocence amidst the AIDS crisis, draws heavily from Céspedes’ personal history and Chilean folklore.
Céspedes describes the film as a culmination of ideas developed over time, with characters inspired by his siblings and cousins. The narrative is deeply rooted in his childhood experiences; his parents ran a hair salon where many employees succumbed to AIDS.
The film’s unique approach to the subject matter-portraying love as a potential vector for disease-is informed by a quote Céspedes encountered in a history of AIDS in Chile: “No one wants to look at the sick people in the eyes.” This observation sparked the film’s surreal and mythological elements, reflecting a cultural tendency to create myths around the incomprehensible, particularly in geographically isolated Chile.
“The Mysterious Gaze of the Flamingo” is told through the eyes of 11-year-old Lidia, a narrative choice Céspedes made to leverage the unbiased perspective of a child. “When you tell the story with those eyes, it means that it has less prejudices as they didn’t go through the dark, adult world,” he explained.
Central to the film’s success is the performance of newcomer Tamara Cortés as lidia. Céspedes specifically envisioned an actress with a “ironic,very straightforward personality with a strong gaze,” and found that embodied in Cortés. Despite having no prior acting experience, Cortés underwent an extensive training process with a coach and Céspedes himself, ultimately proving to be “a total professional,” according to the director.
