In a remote South American colony in the late 18th century, officer Zama of the Spanish crown waits in vain for a transfer to a more prestigious location. He suffers small humiliations and petty politicking as he increasingly succumbs to lust and paranoia.
Direction
Martel's off-screen sound design is genuinely deranged.
Cinematography
Every frame sweats colonial decay.
Acting
Cacho's face holds entire civilizations collapsing.
Director
Lucrecia Martel
Daniel Giménez Cacho
Don Diego de Zama
Lola Dueñas
Luciana Piñares de Luenga
Matheus Nachtergaele
Vicuña Porto / Gaspar Toledo
Juan Minujín
Ventura Prieto
Nahuel Cano
Manuel Fernández
Mariana Nunes
Malemba
Carlos Defeo
El Oriental
Rafael Spregelburd
Capitán Hipólito Parrilla
Daniel Veronese
Gobernador II
Germán de Silva
Indalecio
Willy Lemos
Obispo
Vando Villamil
Ministro Contador
Marcelo Sein
Faltito
Gustavo Böhm
Gobernador I
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Martel spent a decade developing this; she joked Zama waited so long for his transfer she almost matched him.
Based on Antonio di Benedetto's 1956 novel, considered the great unread Argentine masterpiece until this adaptation.
AR
