Argentine filmmaker Lucrecia Martel is the definition of a festival darling. Since 2001, each of her four feature films, have had major premieres at large festivals. Her first film, “La Ciénaga,” proved that Martel was a new force to reckon with, earning acclaim at Sundance and Berlin. From there, her next two features, “The Holy Girl” and “The Headless Woman,” were both standouts at their respective Cannes debuts. And finally, last year’s “Zama” had an amazing reception when it premiered at the Venice Film Festival. Needless to say, if Martel is attached to a project, film fans need to take notice.
READ MORE: Lucrecia Martel’s ‘Zama’ Is Difficult, Beautiful & Cruel [Venice Review]
That brings us to the latest Martel project, “Fantasmas.” The music video for artist Julieta Laso has just been released, and it marks Martel’s first foray into non-feature filmmaking in two decades. The video doesn’t have a deep plot or incredible scope. Instead, the director lets the music (and Laso) speak for itself, as you see the performer dancing and singing the song, while superimposed images of other dancers and performers are displayed.
The music video is undoubtedly beautiful and stylish, as you might expect from any project from the director. And as we’ve seen with other filmmakers taking a stab at music videos, there’s something special about a feature filmmaker taking a chance on making a short music video. These filmmakers, like Martel, are able to create something that stands out from a crowd.
READ MORE: Lucrecia Martel Talks ‘Zama,’ Her Lost Sci-Fi Project & More [NYFF]
You can watch the full video for “Fantasmas” below: