Silent Light

Here’s the second installment of my profiles of films from our seven Sister City Countries tapped to play at Cannes.

Stellet Licht (Luz silenciosa), directed by Carlos Reygadas

The film was shot in Chihuahua, Mexico, and was funded in June 2006 by the World Cinema Fund.

“Reygadas, who in 2002 received a special mention for the Camera d’Or in Cannes with his debut film Japón and who was selected for the Cannes competition last year with Batallo en el Cielo, is seen as one of the biggest talents of international cinema, according to motelfilms.com.

“Stellet Licht is produced by the Mexican production company Mantarraya Producciones (which also produced Japón, Batalla en el Cielo and Sangre) in co production with BAC Films, Arte France and Motel Films and is also financed by the Netherlands Film Fund.
“Stellet Licht tells the story of the married Johan who, against the laws of God and his people, falls in love with another woman. He is faced a dilemma: will he betray the woman he once loved so much or will he sacrifice his true love?

“The love story of this film plays in a Mexican community of Mennonites. This small community lives according to the laws of their very traditional belief that finds its origin in the Netherlands. Therefore the language spoken in the film is old Dutch.

“Distributor Lumière will release Stellet Licht in the Benelux.”