Memoria
Theatrical release poster

The film world premiered at the Cannes Film Fest, where director Weerasethakul has shown several of his films.

It was selected as the Colombian entry for the Best International Feature Film at the 94th Academy Awards, though it was not nominated.

Jessica, a Scottish expatriate to Colombia, awakens one night to the sound of a loud boom. She is the only one who can hear it. The next day, she goes to visit her sister, Karen, who is ill and in a hospital in Bogotá.

Jessica, who operates a market-flower business in Medellín, is curious to learn more about an excavation project that is carried out in the same hospital where her sister is treated.

Still bothered by the sound, which she hears repeatedly and which prevents her from sleeping, Jessica seeks the help of a young sound engineer, Hernán, to recreate the sound.

Though unsuccessful at first, the two eventually approximate the sound, and begin a friendship. Right before they are to take a trip together, Jessica looks for Hernán at his sound engineering studio, only to discover that he is not there and no one there knows who he is.

Growing increasingly uncomfortable in the company of her now-healthy sister, Jessica ventures out into the countryside alone, where she encounters a middle-aged fish scaler, also named Hernán.

This Hernán lives a secluded life, but he speaks frankly with Jessica. They discuss his connection to the earth, his sleep, and their memories. Inside his home, Jessica learns to connect with her memories in a similar fashion to Hernán, and at one point while holding hands, appears to have her memories intertwine with his.

Jessica then approaches a window and hears the booming sound again, but she seems to have accepted and even appreciate it.

Suddenly, a camouflaged alien spacecraft rises out of the jungle, leaving a loud sonic boom. A radio broadcast is heard reporting a mild earthquake that, unbeknownst to the population, coincided with the take-off of the spacecraft.

The broadcast states that the quake has unearthed inaccessible areas that the aforementioned excavation project was searching for.

Cast
Tilda Swinton as Jessica Holland
Elkin Díaz as older Hernán Bedoya
Jeanne Balibar as Agnes Cerkinsky
Juan Pablo Urrego as younger Hernán Bedoya
Daniel Giménez Cacho as Juan Ospina
Agnes Brekke as Karen Holland
Jerónimo Barón as Mateo Ospina
Constanza Gutiérrez as Dr. Constanza

Credits:

Directed, written by Apichatpong Weerasethakul
Produced by Weerasethakul, Diana Bustamante, Simon Fields, Keith Griffiths, Charles de Meaux
Michael Weber
Julio Chavezmontes
Cinematography Sayombhu Mukdeeprom
Edited by Lee Chatametikool
Music by César López

Distributed: Neon (US); December 26, 2021

Share this: