Almamula is a coming of age tale with echoes of Martel’s La Cienega and, perhaps, La Niña Santa. Set in the backwoods of Santiago del Estero, it follows the travails of Nino, a pubescent boy who is not only discovering that he is gay, but also that he has a crush on Jesus. Nino is beaten up at the opening of the film, so his mother takes him and his winsome older sister to the home of their estranged father, out in the country. This is a profoundly religious environment, and Nino is scheduled to receive his confirmation whilst there, something which is threatened by the confession of his unorthodox crush to the local priest. The film is beautifully shot by Ezequiel Salinas, optimising the phantasmagoric elements of the rural surroundings and the local forest where the mythical titular beast, the Almamula, is said to lurk, threatening to punish children who give in to their wicked desires. As well as his crush on Christ, Nino also becomes fascinated by the Almamula, who he thinks he sees on various occasions. The film starts to ruminate somewhat, as the leisurely rhythms of the lazy countryside take over, nevertheless this is an assured directorial debut which conjures a convincing sense of place and mood, even if the sense of danger or threat seems at times slightly undercooked.
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