La Libertad

Misael lives alone in the vast landscape of Argentina’s La Pampa province, working as a woodcutter. His days are almost entirely defined by his work: cutting down trees, chopping and selling the wood, then returning to his simple camp. Alonso follows the man through a single day with remarkable precision, allowing Misael’s relationship to his work, the natural world and the outside world to emerge through small gestures and everyday actions. With its minimalist, patient observation, the film transforms the rhythms of daily routine into a singular, meditative cinematic experience.

The film’s companion piece, Double Freedom, is also part of the festival programme. Screening: 11.01 – 18:00

Cannes Film Festival 2001 – Un Certain Regard

Lisandro Alonso is one of the defining figures of contemporary Argentine cinema. His films observe the landscape, labour and the most elemental forms of human existence through an exceptionally restrained, meditative approach. His debut feature, La libertad (2001), follows a solitary woodcutter in the Argentine pampas and already establishes the distinctive cinematic language that would define his later work. Alonso’s films continually move between documentary observation and fiction, while landscape, time and physical labour become almost autonomous cinematic experiences. Following La libertad, he directed films including Los muertos, Liverpool, Jauja and Eureka, establishing himself as one of the significant voices of contemporary Argentine cinema.

Los muertos (2004)
Fantasma (2006)
Liverpool (2008)
Jauja (2014)
Eureka (2023)

Original title: La libertad
Director: Lisandro Alonso
Cast: Misael Saavedra, Humberto Estrada, Rafael Estrada, Omar Didino, Javier Didino
Cinematography: Cobi Migliora
Screenwriter: Lisandro Alonso
Producers: Martín Rejtman, Pablo Trapero, Hernán Musaluppi, Hugo Alberto Alonso
Executive Producer: Lisandro Alonso
Editors: Martín Mainoli, Lisandro Alonso
Music: Juan Montecchia
Sound: Catriel Vildosola, Iván Quiroz, Nadine Voullième, Mauricio Molina
Hungarian Distributor: –
Colour: Colour
Run Time: 73 mins