SLIFF 2010 Review: GODS (DIOSES)

Family dysfunction among the rich and incestuous is at the heart of GODS (DIOSES), a dark new comic drama from Peru. Writer/director Josue Mendez’ exploration of the debauchery, desire, and social climbing of the Peruvian privileged class calls to mind the melodramatic films of Pedro Almodovar. GODS is an engrossing film with fine performances from a most attractive cast and is highly recommended.

GODS begins with sexy teen Andrea (Anahi de Cardenas), dancing to techno music with several men while her shaggy-haired slightly younger brother Diego (Sergio Gjurinovic) watches angrily from the sidelines, ultimately berating her first chance he gets. This unhealthy sibling relationship (made a bit more obvious in a later scene where Diego masturbates over her passed out body) is at the center of GODS, which focuses a family in Peru rounded out by the teen’s wealthy father Augustin (Edgar Saba) and his live-in ‘trophy wife’ � fiancee Elissa (Maricielo Effio), who’s only a couple of years older than Andrea. Elissa comes from poverty and sees as her job pleasing Augustin, so walks around the house naked for his entertainment and tries desperately to keep up with all the other rich wives by studying botany, the Bible and Greek mythology.

Most of GODS is told through the eyes of either Elissa or Diego. Despite his sexual hang-ups regarding his sister, Diego rejects the wastrel life of his friends with their endless partying, drinking, and drugging. He considers working for his father’s factory where he is guaranteed a position no matter how incompetent he may be but he’s a mostly lost soul until his eyes are opened one day when follows his maid home and sees how the other half lives.

GODS is a terrific, ambitious film nicely shot with a vibrant visual glitz, buoyed by beautiful bodies and some unexpected dark humor. The performances are stellar, especially Maricielo Effio in a complex and challenging role as a woman who awakens screaming from nightmares about returning to her destitute past. The film is anchored the brooding Sergio Gjurinovic as Diego, who sets the tone as a charismatic young fellow who seems to bear the weight of the world on his sex-obsessed shoulders.

GODS  will play during the 19th Annual Stella Artois St. Louis International Film Festival on Tuesday, November 16th at 2:15 pm and Wednesday, November 17th at 5:00 pm at the Tivoli Theatre.