Writer/director Marí Alessandrini presents a sweeping South American coming-of-age feminist western that reshapes the genre in her feature debut, Zahorí.
Set in the steppe of Patagonia, all thirteen-year-old Mora (Lara Tortosa) thinks about is becoming a ‘gaucho,’ an Argentinian cowboy. Already dressed the part, Mora stays true to her ambitions, withstanding school bullying from kids who claim girls can’t be gauchos. She is largely listless and independent in school, her mind focused on the plains outside, and she rebels against the way of life her Swiss Italian ecologist parents have chosen for her family; they are vegetarians, which clashes with Mora’s vision of living in the wild, hunting for food. Their lifestyle is the only thing her parents seem to agree on, as they otherwise argue constantly. Misunderstood by her parents, schoolmates, and even her younger brother Hamiko (Cirilo Welsey), who follows her loyally nonetheless, Mora turns to her only friend, an elderly Mapuche named Nazareno (Santos Curapil). When Nazareno’s beloved horse, the eponymous Zahorí, goes missing, Mora is determined to help him find it.
Alessandrini is an experienced documentary and fiction short filmmaker. While her feature debut is fiction, there are elements of reality as Alessandrini herself grew up in Patagonia before moving to Europe as an adult. In Zahorí, Alessandrini brings a much needed feminist perspective to the male-centric western genre, both through Mora and another older gaucha character who pops up throughout the film. Zahorí presents a norm in which girls can realize their dreams of becoming adventurous, independent nomads just like their male counterparts, and can equally survive the reality of a tough, often lonely life in the plains, facing the elements and wayward bandits. As Mora, Tortosa further strengthens the film through her assured performance.
Mora looks to Nazareno for mentorship and guidance, and they evidently have a history of strong friendship that pre-dates the events of the film. Mora sees the lonely, harsh life ahead of her in Nazareno’s experiences; he lives alone in a meagre house in a valley, his wife having left him along ago, and his final days come to an end without ceremony somewhere in the vast expanse of the steppe with only Mora there to witness it. Mora understands the life ahead of her, having witnessed the difficulties that come with the freedom and independence, and it makes her decision to ultimately pursue the gaucha path a more informed and mature one, despite her young age.
Two Christian missionaries add levity to the film, subverting the western genre’s use of Christian symbolism. An uncle (Federico Luque) and nephew (Colo Susini) duo dressed in suits journey (and sing) across the steppe trying to convert residents to Christianity, no packs or equipment for a long trek in sight. As their characters are English-speaking foreigners, the actors put on hilariously exaggerated accents when speaking Spanish with other characters in order to highlight the absurdity of their presence in the desert-like landscape and far-flung community. Most residents don’t have time for the self-proclaimed Christian soldiers. Mora and her brother have some cheeky fun interrupting a river baptism by sending animal bones floating downriver, causing the Christian missionaries to panic about evil spirits in the water. The two men are overzealous and extraordinarily out of place.
The narrative in Zahorí is a slow burn, a meandering journey of identity through a desert-like landscape rather than a story of action-packed heroics. The search for Zahori is one of self-discovery and a search for inner answers for Mora and Nazareno both. Along the way, they each come to terms with their own identity and relationships, and navigate their futures. For Mora, finding Zahori is also ultimately a symbolic passing of the torch and a confirmation of her chosen path.
Like many film productions last year, Zahorí experienced production delays as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. The film received a Pardo 2020 “Films After Tomorrow” award from Locarno Film Festival last year as part of the festival’s initiative to restart cinema and help filmmakers complete their pandemic-delayed projects. Zahorí returned to the festival this year to make its official premiere.
Score: B+