Underground Orange (Bajo Naranja), dir. Michael Taylor Jackson, 2024 Argentina/USA, 85 min., mostly in Argentine Spanish with English subtitles, but substantial parts in English without subtitles 👏
Saturday, June 22, 2024, 6:00 PM, Vogue Theatre
Digital Screening Room streaming encore
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Underground Orange
(Bajo Naranja) |
The basic setup of the film: a backpacker from Monterey, California, gets robbed on his first day in Buenos Aires, losing his money, his passport, his drivers license, and his phone. He makes his way to the U.S. embassy, where they tell him to come back Tuesday. After a rough night, he connects with a group of local activist/anarchists who are putting on a play, a mock trial of Henry Kissinger for his crimes against Argentina. He is dubbed “Yankee” (in Argentinian Spanish, pronounced more like “shankee”), and spends several days along for the ride on their adventures. They explore philosophical questions, engage in polyamorous free love, and take radical action, of which the play is just the beginning.
A couple of other quick notes: in the opening credits, there is a “blink and you miss it” display of a manifesto for the group Bajo Naranja. Don’t worry, though, you can read it on the official website (link below). Also, the director plays the part of Yankee.
The feel of the film wanders from concrete reality to trippy surreality, but it doesn’t wander aimlessly. The “genre fluid” tapestry of styles and moods carries the film along to a psychedelic conclusion that felt a bit like John Greyson’s masterpiece Lilies (1996), calling into question the blurry line between reality and dreams. For the audience, the ride is mostly light, with some deft humor, but also at times thought-provoking. All in all, an impressive debut feature, highly recommended.
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