This icy western marks the directorial debut feature of Emiliano Torres who substitutes the American frontier for the breathtaking wilds of rural Patagonia, and recounts a time-honoured allegory about an old foreman realising his days are numbered.
One ill-fated winter, Evans (Alejandro Sieveking) comes face to face with his ultimate destiny when a new, highly-skilled worker, Jara (Cristian Salguero), comes to the estate and begins to take over many of his duties. Evans cannot hope to compete with Jara’s youthful exuberance and practical skill so he must choose to surrender his post – or put up one last big fight.
Minimal in dialogue and considered in pace, The Winter offers many existential questions to ponder. This is a story of old and new, of change, and of transition between generations. It is an ode to the human condition set against stunning, snowy landscapes. But, most of all, it’s a story of survival in an unforgiving land, with uncompromising people, against the tide of inevitable progress.
