No Weight Whatsoever

Shot in Bogotá, Colombia, and Moniquirá (a small town 3 hour north of Bogotá), No Weight Whatsoever presents two apparently unrelated stories. It begins in a spacious apartment in Bogotá. Nicolás, a younger contemporary classical music composer, gets ready to demo his latest work to a group of friends, while Rosa, his maid, tidies up his accomodations. When the night comes and guests start listening to his music everybody falls into a deep dream. Subtly, the music composition fades into sounds of birds and cows, and the images of the party give place to bucolic landscapes where we find two girls figuring out how to survive in the absence of their parents. Desperate for food, the girls head to the home of a woman living in a neighboring mountain. Concerned for their well-being, the woman takes them to the closest town to inquire for the missing parents. After unfruitful attempts to find out any information, the woman decides is time to call it a day. They say bye and the girls disappear into the dark of the night. The classical composition is heard again and images of a working-class neighborhood in Bogota are seen. Rosa, the musician’s maid, walks through those streets on her way back home.

The films cast is a mix of professional and natural actors from the region where the countryside story takes place.

Screenings

FiD Marseille, 2020.
Marseille, France

Special Jury Mention for the Flash Competition:
“The award goes to a film where the filmmaker has a skill for the classical narrative which captivates us from the start before suddenly pulling it out from under our feet. A sudden shift that edges towards the experimental takes us to a seemingly unrelated space. Memory takes over montage while themes of class and the disappeared loom over the film. The Special Mention for the Flash Competition goes to “No Weight Whatsoever” by Mauricio Arango.”

Technical Information

2K color video
Stereo and surround sound versions
29 minutes long

Special Acknowledgements

Funding has been made possible by The Puffin Foundation

No Weight Whatsoever is also supported in part by the National Association of Latino Arts and Cultures through the NALAC Fund for the Arts Grant Program.