400KM features a man and a woman meeting each other by a car. They’re getting ready for a long road trip, one that will take them 400 km away from the city and to Zaragoza. Through their travels, they’ll get to know a little about each other, while taking in the beauty of the roadside. Notably, this experimental movie was made without a script and with lots of improvisation. Who knows how this story will end?
What struck me the most about this road movie was how the actors were able to deliver a compelling story with little gestures, words, and spontaneous thought. The film, told in three chapters, is interesting to behold, especially with its beautiful cinematography, great acting, and fitting music. (Check out a behind-the-scenes video of this film here. Note that it’s in Spanish and without English subtitles.) Overall, well-made, well-acted, and quite a cautionary tale about going on a long road trip with someone you barely know.
Given the movie’s preemptive note about the actors’ improvisation, I wasn’t quite sure how this film would turn out. It still gave me a surprise though. What about you? What are your thoughts about the actors’ delivery?
(400KM is available with English subtitles on closed captions on both YouTube and Vimeo. Click here for a film about another couple traveling around Uruguay. Click here for the story behind two people talking in the phone in Venice, Italy. And click here for a feature film about a road trip between three people.)
400KM may also be view on Vimeo.
Directed by Miquel Casals
