Zama, based on the novel by Antonio Di Benedetto - 8.3 out of 10

Zama, based on the novel by Antonio Di Benedetto

8.3 out of 10

By a strange coincidence, we have had the chance to see on Cinemax two independent films, both with short titles, referring to the main respective characters, both starting with Z:

Zama and Zagros

The fact that they have been scheduled in the program very close to each other may suggest another possibility, that they took the film list and then stopped at “Z” and thus we have no coincidence.

Why did they not include Z though, with the magnificent Yves Montand, Irene Papas and Jean-Louis Trintignant, directed by the marvelous Costa- Gavras, winner of two Oscars and nominated for a few more…?

Daniel Gimenez Cacho is formidable in the title role of Zama, a Spanish officer assigned to a post in Asuncion – a backwater at the time – in the seventeenth century, the epitome of the tragic figure.

He has asked the governor for a transfer, but he does not get it, in fact, when another man takes the office, the new arrival blackmails the hero, asking for an incriminating report.

The protagonist has a very hard time in this land, in the opening scenes we see him as a voyeur, trying to get close to the beach where naked women cover their bodies with mud – which was probably believed – it still is in places, including close to our own city – to have beneficial effects.

One of them chases the man who lies on the grass, trying to get a peek at bodies that are anyway hard to distinguish under the thick layer of viscous substance, apart from the shape that indicates broadly a heavy or a slim organism.

Zama would eventually have an intimate relationship with one of the local women and a boy is born, alas, he seems to be frail and may even have a disability that prevents him from speaking.

Although, it could just be a case where he would talk later than others would, which was what happened to many brilliant people.

The hero has a scuffle with another officer and the result is that the governor calls him and informs him that the other man is exiled, but to the town of his choosing and with a recommendation.

Puzzled and musing over this news, the protagonist protests in the first place that it was just a minor confrontation, but then he sees that what looks like a severe punishment looks more like a reward.

After all, he has asked to be sent to the same place and it has not been approved in a long time.

Meanwhile, Zama is interested, at times, he seems fascinated by Luciana, a local woman married to a man that she proclaims to reject, and they have some awkward, rather amusing moments together.

Slaves are present when they discuss, one of them is permanently pulling a string to operate the primitive air conditioning of the time, a sort of sail that created a current of air when moved.

Luciana tells the story of Malemba, the native woman who has been tortured, his feet have been affected to the stage where we can see she has problems moving and she had spent a long time in the river, trying to escape her monstrous tormentors and finally finding refuge with Dona Luciana.

The second governor enjoys gambling and when he finds that one the scribe who writes documents is in the process of writing a book, he is outraged for he feels he had stolen time from the king.

Therefore, he wants Zama to write a document that would ensure that the clerk that is supposed to work for his majesty and instead spends his time with such a disgusting endeavor would suffer the consequences.

When the hero asks about his transfer and mentions that he is a father now, the second governor – by the way, the first had had his nails painted a visible, bright red – states that first he has to write the report.

Alas, even when the protagonist – after a long-suffering – writes the document required of him, the governor does not bring any solace for he mentions that he will send the first request…

The first request?

Yes, his majesty does not answer any of the first demands and thus we will have to send a second, in a year or two…

It is all downhill for Zama, for he is ejected, finds the furniture in the open and much of it is listed as property of the crown and he talks with the writer, who makes a very interesting statement:

“I do not know what my life, my children would be like, but I know what my book will look like…please, take care of my manuscript”…or words to that effect