Today And Tomorrow

After her gas is cut off, Paula - an aspiring actress - finds her day going from bad to worse. Unable to borrow money from her friends, or from her estranged father, she is then propositioned by the director of her play and loses her job. Needing 300 pesos to pay off her landlord, she turns to an old school friend, now a prostitute, in the hope of getting some cash. The perils she faces through this awful day continue through the night. Will she be able to cope with her new professions? What will tomorrow bring?

Argentinian director/screenwriter Alejandro Chomski is possibly the hottest director breaking onto the South American scene. Having already worked as an assistant to the likes of Emir Kusturica and Spike Lee and receiving a Fulbright scholarship to study at the American Film Institute, he has created this interesting character study as his directorial debut.

Setting it over the course of a single day and night, he manages to weave a series of perilous situations for his central character to overcome. But this is no simple tale of black-and-white morality, or an uplifting fable of hard work overcoming all. Instead, Chomski gives us a protagonist who is as stubborn and unrealistic as the people she meets and despises.

Today And Tomorrow is defined by an excellent performance from Antonella Costa, as the headstrong Paula. But elegant handheld digital camerawork by Gullermo Nieto should not be overlooked. In particular, his stylish use of mirrors and back of motorcycle viewpoints gives the sense that we are always observing Paula from a slightly detached, always behind, position as if she is pushing us into the background.

The weakness of the film is in its slightness. Ultimately, it's nothing more than a series of set pieces, strung together with some oft repeated scenes of Paula going in and out of her flat.

A shame, but with promise of greatness to follow.