My Skin, Luminous

Where does documentary reality end and imaginative fiction begin? Like some celebrated Iranian films, Nicolás Pereda refuses to draw a clear line. What begins as a commissioned investigation into primary school education in Mexico suddenly encounters an amazing story: a little boy who, due to contagious illness, is quarantined in his own classroom. Vignettes of pedagogic exercises lead to unusual contributions, such as from the literary prankster Mario Bellatin and a group of ambulant monks. Pereda tells us that this story “feels like a dream”. And maybe it is a dream, but its emotional power is pure. (Viennale)