MAN FACING SOUTHEAST

Argentina, 1985, 105 minutes, Colour.
Lorenzo Quinteros, Hugo Soto, Rubens Correa.
Directed by Eliseo Subiela.

Man Facing South East is an Argentinian film, quite striking in its presentation of characters as well as interesting in its exploring themes of science fiction and fantasy.

The film is set in a mental institution, a doctor concerned about his patients but growing weary with his profession. He encounters an interesting patient who suddenly appears at the institution claiming that he is an alien (identified as an unknown flying patient). His story is not easily credible but the doctor enjoys his encounter with Rantes, the patient. He explains that he is an alien, has no human feelings, works on reason, is something like a holograph from another planet. He has extrasensory powers, stands for hours facing south-east. The doctor also identifies him as a Christlike figure - and he has a good rapport with other patients, has a capacity for healing, conducts an orchestra playing Beethoven's Ninth with exhilarating results for the orchestra and for the audience. It is hard to know whether he is simply a patient with mental disturbances of is as he claims. A social worker, Beatrice, also appears and it seems that she too is an alien who has opted to stay on Earth and discovers human feelings.

The film is allegorical of the alien coming to Earth and transforming people for the better, the basis of the gospel story and the Christ parallels are stressed. The film may be linked with such films as ET and Edward Scissorhands as well as the myriad comedies from Crocodile Dundee to Short Circuit, Twins and My Stepmother is an Alien, whereby filmmakers have played with the idea of the stranger coming into a society, being affected by it as well as transforming it.

1. Impact of the film? Serious themes? Reason, feelings, sanity and insanity? The Christ parallels and the allegorical fable nature of the film?

2. Argentinian production, the setting of the institution, ordinary settings like the zoo, the outdoor concert? The Argentinian flavour? Songs, musical score - and the exhilaration of Beethoven's Ninth?

3. The title, the focus on the behaviour of Rantes and his facing south-east for extraterrestrial impulses? Rantes as human, extraterrestrial, alien? Reason, feelings? His explanations - true or false? The creation of an insane man or not? The holograph theory? The past, the presence of the dead? Aliens coming to Earth and deserting and experiencing human feelings? Beatrice?

4. The portrait of the doctor, competence in his work, experiments, observation, visiting patients? Becoming jaded? Home life, separation from family, the outings with his children, the zoo? The routines of the hospital? His encounter with Rantes, talking with him, the voice-over comments about what was happening, coming alive? The discussions, explanations, scientific experiments, pills, and shock treatment? His wanting to know more, learning about himself, transformed? His noting the Christlike parallels, himself as pilot and judging? Beatrice and the discussions about Rantes? The concert, the outings? Reprimanded by authorities? Watching Rantes, giving up on the explanation? The photo - and the mystery? The encounter with Beatrice and his coming alive emotionally? His future?

5. Rantes, personality, lacking emotions but seeming emotional, the coat to the cold man, the joy of Beethoven, playing the organ? His goodness to the other people? The treatment with pills (and his throwing them away), involving himself in protests about food etc? Standing facing south-east? The Christ parallels? Doing good, the alien coming into a different world, sign of contradiction? Healings? Enabling people to be themselves? The relationship with Beatrice? The photo? The mystery of his identity?

6. Beatrice, the social worker, visiting Rantes, the transforming experience, questioned by the doctor, her explanations of his being an alcoholic? The concert, the later questions, the sexual encounter? Referred to as the saint? Her explanation of herself, the alien, becoming human? The photo? Mystery woman

7. The picture of the patients, their illnesses, treatment? The collages of the patients - especially to the music of Beethoven's Ninth and their transformation? The medical staff, the nurses, the routines? Observations, experiments, the laboratories - and Rantes looking at the human brain and dividing it and destroying it?

8. The contrast with the doctor and his children, the ordinary human experience contrasting with that of the institution?

9. The mystical elements in the screenplay? Rantes and his ability to move things, in the café, and the poor woman and the steak dishes being moved and her being able to eat? The extrasensory power - compatible with somebody suffering delusions and hallucinations?

10. The philosophical, scientific and theological aspects of the screenplay and the discussions? Raising questions about the meaning of life?