Porfirio movie review

Porfirio is second film by Alejandro Landes,  Brazilian born director, co-produced with Francisco Aljure.

His first film, the documentary Cocalero premiered at Sundance 2007. With Porfirio, Landes was a fellow at the Cinéfondation Residence and the Sundance Institute in 2012.

Porfirio tells the true story of Porfirio Ramírez Aldana, Colombian, who became paralyzed, after a failed police operation in 1991, when he was shot in the back. After  numerous attempts at suing the government, his case was closed.

Set in remote Colombian village, on the outskirts of Amazon, the film follows Porfirio’s day  to day life. 

Starring Porfirio himself, Jarlinsson Ramírez Reinoso as his real life son and Yor Jasbleidy Santos as his  girlfriend.

Porfirio’s life is destroyed after he became bound to the wheelchair, his daily survival depending on the money made by selling minutes on his mobile phone to the locals. Porfirio’s dignity is gone, now that   his own son changes his nappies, or gives him daily baths.

His overweight body is in every shot, the heaviness of it adding to the misery of his situation. Like Gerom Samsa’s character in  Frank Kafka’s “Metamorphosis” who wakes up to find himself trapped into the body of a giant insect, Porfirio found himself trapped inside his own body, with his legs paralyzed.

There is no relief for this man, whose every move and attempt at normality are felt on the screen, as he moves from wheelchair to bed, as he scratches his back with the scoop or tries to reach the clock high on the shelf.

 The relief is not in sight even when his girlfriend visits, their lovemaking grotesque, embarrassing, as we struggle with feelings of disgust and sympathy . But there is no escape from this imprisoned body, not even in the ecstasy of lovemaking.

Porfirio’s heaviness echoes Colombian society, spirit imprisoned in the heavy corpse from which the escape seems impossible. Will the reality ever change, or do we have any power to alter it even slightly?

When Porfirio buys grenades from the local black market dealer some hope appears even if it leaves us with uneasiness about his motives.

There are only few scenes shot outside Porfirio's house, one set in the village center. With no disabled access Porfirio is not even able to enter the government office. He throws couple of stones at the windows, to alert the clerks of his presence outside, insignificant man in the face of bureaucracy and government power.

Porfirio is not an easy film to watch yet it leaves us glued to the screen, unable to leave, anticipating every scene with some hope that reality will change.  Director shows no mercy in the way he frames Porfirio’s body or shows his daily rituals.

The final scene in which Porfirio sings, starring at us explains the full story and his attempt to hijack the plane and get some attention.

There is no compensation, instead there is   home imprisonment as Porfirio’s punishment.

 There is no way out of the house, out of his body, as there is no way out for a man in the face of bureaucracy, government policies and hearing your voice.

While Porfirio gets no compensation and no chance at better life, we are left wondering at injustice in this world, and some of us more than grateful that we can at least leave our house at our own will.

4.5/5 stars

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