GFF 2012: Bonsái

Chilean directing talent Cristián Jiménez's second feature film is one for the bookish. Bonsai's protagonist Julio (Diego Noguera) is more of a leader-on than a leading man, using his cultural smarts (namely, the dubious claim of having read Marcel Proust) to woo his student girlfriend Emilia (Nathalia Galgani). Years later, under the guise of transcribing one of his hero's novels, he uses their relationship as inspiration to write, be it as part of an elaborate ruse.

Channeling a mumblecore vibe, these charm-free, statuesque young actors speak of unmeasured still waters. Not knowing how deep they run will only get you so far, however, and Julio's mumbling and bumbling is curious but not much more. This, too, quickly wears thin as the film's non-linear narrative shuffles through time like the worn pages of a well-thumbed paperback. But if you're looking for a touch of solipsism without picking up Proust, Bonsai is a good start. [Nicola Balkind]