The Winter Swim

They say that being from Quicaví means being a witch. The gray skies of the village and the silence of its inhabitants seem to hold a collective secret that few want to talk about. Witches and secret caves are part of a memory that could disappear.

Segundo (Raúl López Leyton) is an elderly man who works at a street market and loses his stall’s merchandise for failing to pay his license fee. To recover it, he must settle his balance within a week. While trying to raise the money, Mario (Miguel Ángel Pérez), his inept son, depletes the remaining resources. Unable to work, he decides to commit a robbery at a local business.

Marcial (Raúl Palma) is a hermit who, once a week, welcomes his lifelong friend Julio (Ernesto Benvenutto), who brings books, supplies, and lively conversation to his solitary life in the mountains. One day, Marcial discovers ancient human bones. Terrified, he waits for his friend to return so he can report the discovery. Guilt begins to torment him, preventing him from finding peace, until he decides to re-bury the remains in an eternal cycle of guilt and oblivion.

A couple in love meets to eat every afternoon. Miscommunication and displeasure begin to be the main ingredients of their menu, and the dishes they eat are the slow warning of inevitable decay. Every desire transforms in the time it takes for dinner to be ready. All that remains is to taste a frantic and exhausting dessert.