Don’t forget… Any city could be Macondo
“In the end, as in other works by Gabo in which hope always dwells, the inhabitants of Macondo find ways to adapt to their own pandemic, find the cure at the hands of the gypsy Melquíades and recover both their memories and their previous lives” [1]
Do you think Gabriel García Marquez ever imagined that his words, so deep and so real, would actually be as current and relevant in 2020, as they were in 1967 when he wrote One Hundred Years of Solitude? Maybe he did, he was a great visionary.
In a short film directed by Leonardo Aranguibel, and accompanied by 31 Latinamerican actors who read fragments of One Hundred Years of Solitude, the words of Gabo come together to bring us hope. “La Peste del Insomio” is a 15-minute short film that collects different fragments from Gabo’s work with a clear message, that even in moments of crisis it is our choice to live or die. Filmed, edited, and completed in 50 days, it is proof of what we can accomplish in times of adversity and a symbol of unity.
In an interview with the newspaper El Tiempo, the Venezuelan director expressed: “I invited people I have worked with in my career, friends. The short film was made without anyone perceiving a single peso. For this reason, I like to say that it is the most collective project in which I have participated in my life …
…Fifty days, more or less, we had to do the entire process of selecting the actors, send them the script, have them recorded and return the material to us, start editing, get images from photographers and cameramen from all over the region: what fifty days of confinement can make…”[2]
The fragments of the film talk about a disease, insomnia, whose impact is unforeseen by the inhabitants of Macondo. With no sleep, everyone is excited because there are many things to do. However, very soon no one has nothing new to do, they start forgetting the names of objects and the names of places, finally, forgetfulness is the “new normal”.
Similar to this story, the covid19 crisis has placed us in solitude and confinement. As a result of that, work, gatherings, birthdays, graduations, and weddings are held online. Additionally, social media and countless “do it at home” videos invite us to be always connected so that we don’t feel lonely. However, in this context, I wonder if we will make this our “new normal”. Despite the many benefits of online access to knowledge, productivity, and family, I hope we don’t forget what it feels to share a workplace with others, shake hands, hug friends, visit family and enjoy outdoors.
Proud of this masterpiece, which resulted from the efforts of those who made of the crisis an opportunity to create, I invite you to watch “La Peste del Insomio”, and keep in mind that where ever you are, any city could be Macondo.
[1] Translation of the original in ‘La peste del insomnio’ es la pandemia en palabras de García Márquez. Julio César Guzman. El Tiempo. June 14, 2020. At https://www.eltiempo.com/cultura/cine-y-tv/cortometraje-la-peste-del-insomnio-con-textos-de-gabriel-garcia-marquez-506834
[2] Id.
[3] “La Peste del Insomio”: Ricard Darín y Sonia Braga son parte de cortometraje que que recupera capículo de “Cien Años de Soledad” At https://www.elmostrador.cl/cultura/2020/06/15/la-peste-del-insomnio-sonia-braga-y-ricardo-darin-son-parte-de-cortometraje-que-recupera-capitulo-de-cien-anos-de-soledad/
