CRÍTICAS COMPLETAS

 

CRÍTICA PUBLICADA EN RAVEN-HEART.COM

https://comunidadravenheart.blogspot.com/2019/11/four-seasons-miguel-gabaldon.html

Four couples, four places, four different moments of relationships, four seasons, our seasons...
Miguel Gabaldón brings us closer to the essence, the beating of the nexus that binds people, their different cadences, their different emotions, in an atypical and interesting short film. In this way, the gaze of this creator will make ours accomplice by allowing us, which voyeurs, to hide behind their camera and to observe the becoming of crucial moments of the development of different relationships.  
Madrid, Chicago or New York will be the places to drag us with their fragmented story, three iconic cities that will imbue the frames with their different appearance and character, just as the different characters that will pass before our eyes will, with their different races, trends, ages, aspects... Places, individuals, all different, and so fiercely the same.
In equality in difference, in feeling as absolute language, lies the power of (F)our Seasons, a poetic cinematic cry that claims the very essence of the emotion that unites human beings beyond their nationalities, identities or sexual tendencies. The message is underlined and erected universally with its right annulment of all dialogue, stripping of all limits to the infinite, feelings, which with its birth, maturation or even in its rupture, shape life itself.
But it is not all silence, as its protagonists are not isolated. Gabaldon frames every moment, every season, with a wrapping of sounds, of life that continues, raucous, around the characters. That heartbeat is attached to the rhythm of a lively montage full of details that whispers that beyond the instant it relates, from the close intimacy, nothing stops, everything flows relentlessly.
(F)our Seasons, with all the above, is a short film which, although it may appear to be simple, contains several layers that need more than one viewing to be able to enjoy it in a fuller way. From the game of its title already the challenge of looking beyond, opening our minds and enjoying the kaleidoscope that it proposes with various perspectives, think of it as independent stories, as a unique one in which its characters dress up in different bodies ... every reading has its interest and its debate, discovering us more richness than we perceived at first.
In conclusion, we are dealing with a risky work, a short film that from a different formal proposal, and perhaps not easy, gives us a piece of good cinema and great message.

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Cuatro parejas, cuatro lugares, cuatro diferentes momentos de las relaciones, cuatro estaciones, nuestras estaciones... 

Miguel Gabaldón nos acerca a la esencia, el latir del nexo que une a las personas, sus diferentes cadencias, sus distintas emociones, en un atípico e interesante cortometraje. De esta forma, la mirada de este creador, hará complice a la nuestra permitiéndonos, cual voyeurs, ocultarnos tras su cámara y observar el devenir de instantes cruciales del desarrollo de distintas relaciones. 

Madrid, Chicago o Nueva York serán los lugares hacia los que nos arrastrará con su fragmentado relato, tres icónicas ciudades que impregnarán los fotogramas con su distinto aspecto y carácter, al igual que lo harán los distintos personajes que pasarán ante nuestros ojos, con sus diferentes razas, tendencias, edades, aspectos... Lugares, individuos, todos dispares, y tan fieramente iguales. 

En la igualdad en la diferencia, en el sentir como lenguaje absoluto, radica la potencia de (F)our Seasons, un poético grito cinematográfico que reivindica la esencia misma de la emoción que une a los seres humanos más allá de sus nacionalidades, identidades o tendencias sexuales. El mensaje se subraya y se erige universal con su acertada anulación de todo diálogo, despojando de todo límite a lo infinito, los sentimientos, que con su nacimiento, maduración o incluso en su ruptura, dan forma a la vida misma.

Mas no todo es silencio, como sus protagonistas no se hallan aislados. Gabaldón enmarca cada momento, cada estación, con un envoltorio de sonidos, de vida que continúa, estridente, alrededor de los personajes. Ese latido se acompasa al ritmo de un montaje vivo y lleno de detalles que susurra que más allá del instante que relata, de la intimidad cercana, nada se detiene, todo fluye sin descanso. 

(F)our Seasons, con todo lo citado, resulta un cortometraje, que si bien puede aparentar ser sencillo, reviste diversas capas que agradecen más de un visionado para poder disfrutarlo de una forma más plena. Desde el propio juego de su título ya se destila el reto de mirar más allá, abrir nuestra mente y disfrutar el caleidoscopio que propone con varias perspectivas, pensarlo como historias independientes, como una única en la que sus personajes se visten de distintos cuerpos... cada lectura tiene su interés y su debate, descubriéndonos más riqueza de la que percibíamos en un inicio. 

En conclusión, estamos ante un trabajo arriesgado, un cortometraje que desde una propuesta formal diferente, y quizás no fácil, nos regala un pedazo de buen cine y gran mensaje.

 

 

HANOI INTERNATIONAL FILM WEEK

Like a special documentary film from an objective perspective, “(f)our seasons” has no lines, but just parasitic noise and images of nature and streets, along with frames which are sometimes shaken. The name is “(f)our seasons” because each season is a love story with different gamuts of emotions at different life stages.

Since there are no lines, the audience totally can make predictions and create their own stories. The spring couple in a picnic with two boys. They are happy with their little families in a long time or those are just broken pieces? The autumn couple in a rainy day ran into each other and talked. What did happen to them, happy or sorrowed, hopeful or disappointed?

The common things of life running through the camera such as sun, rain, snow, train, traffic light,... appeared in four pieces of the film all have a potential to be a metaphor. Everything changes by seasons but in a routine. Just like human’s feelings, sometimes forever, sometimes erratic. Time passes, we can still smile when seeing each other, that is enough. No matter where and who we are, love is always there.

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Como una película documental especial desde una perspectiva objetiva, "(F)our seasons" no tiene diálogos, sino sólo ruido parasitario e imágenes de la naturaleza y las calles, con encuadres que a veces se agitan. El nombre es "(F)our seasons" (Nuestras estaciones/Cuatro estaciones)" porque cada temporada es una historia de amor con diferentes gamas de emociones en diferentes etapas de la vida.
Dado que no hay diálogos, el público puede hacer predicciones y crear sus propias historias. La pareja de primavera en un picnic con dos chicos. ¿Están contentos con sus pequeñas familias o son sólo pedazos rotos? La pareja de otoño en un día lluvioso se topó y habló. ¿Qué les pasó, felices o afligidos, esperanzados o decepcionados?
Las cosas comunes de la vida captadas a través de la cámara como el sol, la lluvia, la nieve, los trenes, las luces del semáforo... en las cuatro partes de la película, todas tienen un potencial para ser metáfora. Todo cambia por temporadas pero en una rutina. Al igual que los sentimientos humanos, a veces para siempre, a veces erráticos. El tiempo pasa, todavía podemos sonreír cuando nos vemos, eso es suficiente. No importa dónde y quiénes seamos, el amor siempre está ahí.

 

 

ISABEL ORDAZ (ACTRIZ Y ESCRITORA):

Formalmente radical y temáticamente clásico. La ausencia de palabras ha sido sustituida por la imagen pura que, como toda imagen al fin, también está sometida al tiempo y por supuesto al espacio.  El tiempo en esta propuesta es sustituido por la VELOCIDAD en donde apenas puede anidar el espacio.  El nuestro ahora, la alienación a través de la velocidad, así, la cámara nos muestra en la obertura solo manchas, líneas, apenas huellas electrográficas (sobre el tiempo tiene Safransky un interesante ensayo) que producen inquietud, tanta desazón.  La cámara al fin se calma, busca y encuentra, lo que no podía faltar, el rostro, de la primavera al invierno, del verano al otoño, rostros.  Y es ahí precisamente donde la emoción aflora, por fin, pues nos reconocemos.  La expresión de los rostros de las ocho personas que aparecen es la misma y distinta en cada una, el rostro en su expresión más universal y honda (bueno, también está el dolor pero no era el caso), me refiero al anhelo, todos ellos anhelan lo que eternamente se anhela, ser amados, deseados, acariciados. Es curioso lo fascinante que es un rostro cuando está abierto y deja que se asome lo que le habita. Una propuesta inspiradora (como la poesía toda).

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Formally radical and thematically classic. The absence of words has been replaced by the pure image that, like every image at last, is also subjected to time and of course to space.  The time in this proposal is replaced by speed where space can barely nest.  Ours now, alienation through speed as well, the camera shows us in the overture only spots, lines, just electrographic fingerprints (about time Safransky has an interesting essay) that produce restlessness, so much unease.  The camera finally calms down, looks and finds, what could not be missing, the face, from spring to winter, from summer to autumn, faces.  And that is precisely where emotion emerges, at last, because we recognize each other.  The expression of the faces of the eight people that appear is the same and distinct in each, the face in its most universal and slinging expression (well, there is also pain but it was not the case), I mean the longing, all of them yearn for what is eternally longed , be loved, desired, caressed. It's funny how fascinating a face is when it's open and lets what it inhabits. An inspiring proposal (as it is poetry).

 

 

 

IAC BIAFF FESTIVAL JUDGES’ COMMENTS (Rod Leyland on behalf of Judging Panel: Peter Mitchell, Rob Phillips & Rod Leyland)

5 Stars 

What a great film!  Loved it!

From the opening shot going under the elevated railway to the final credit, we were hooked. Very worthy of its 5 Star award. In everyday life we all do what this film does. The difference is this film actually does it extremely well and in greater depth. We watch people and notice the little things they do. This film goes beyond casual observation. It lingers with the characters and you feel you get to know them and share their stories.

The detailed observation within the shots is superb.

The photography captured the mood not only of each of the location cities but perfectly of the story that was being revealed to us on screen from that city.

The use ofBCU's throughout the film was excellent.

The editing was snappy and the pace created for each season was just right.

The lack of dialogue was actually a master-stroke. There was no need for dialogue. The pictures told the stories. For dialogue you couldalternatively read soundtrack.

Memorable moments from the soundtrack included the rain on the umbrella in “Autumn”, the drop down to a low wind sound after the keys were returned in “Winter” and, also in “Winter”, the slow increase in street noise as they completed their last hug. Really added to the feel of the film.

All of the characters played their parts in the film extremely well with just the right degree of natural facial expression and body language. This also goes for the dog in “Autumn”. His initial recognition of the approaching man under the umbrella and his final wistful gaze as the man disappears into the crowd are well captured.

Thank you for entering this very enjoyable film into BIAFF 2020.