“The first of Alonso’s protagonists is a tree cutter named Misael Saavedra. The film presents his cyclical and solitary life: he is depicted chopping wood with admirable skill, eating, sleeping (and dreaming), going to the village, selling the wood, and returning to cut down more trees. The title of the film (which translates as Freedom) has a certain oneiric implication, but the rock music in the opening titles and a final scene that reveals Misael to be an actor in a film (removed at the time of its Cannes premiere at the behest of the festival’s programmers) ensure that we don’t confuse the contemplative nature of La libertad with that of an anthropological documentary. Nothing could be further from Alonso’s mind than the social sciences, though watching Misael cutting wood is a fascinating cinematographic experience.” (Quintín)
Spanish spoken, French subtitles
