A Portrait in Three

"To honor the memory of his father who passed away in 2019, Martin Del Carpio opts for the medium of film once again, and delivers his most lyrical work to date. At once deeply personal, carefully veiled in a delicate fabric of pure emotions, and absolutely immersive in its dreamlike, mysterious beauty, 'The Dark Forest' transmutes its author's innermost life into an admirable piece of introspective cinema. Opening with Dante Alighieri's quote which inspired the title, it takes the viewer on a short, yet transcendent journey through the bushes of symbols and trees of thoughts, in the company of a lovely (and cunning?) forest spirit embodied by Carly Erin O'Neil whose poise and grace translate as otherworldly." —Nikola Gocic

As a child, Del Carpio was always intrigued by his mother's hands. With age, he has become even more fascinated by them, feeling that they are a combination of refinement and, at the same time, working class. She is the protagonist of his first short film. It is an experimental project with a simple idea: for her to show the most important aspects of her current life using only her hands. Spirituality coexists with the harsh reality of old age.