Yes, it also works with a turtle, please make 12,000 pesos (around 10.80 euros). Of course, you first believe in a scam: Anika (Anika Bootz) with her foster parents Myriam (Mara Order) and Roger (Marcelo Subiotto) in a van converted into a motorhome to offer their services. The young girl can (supposedly) communicate with living and dead animals, either in direct contact, at her grave or with the help of a photo. Myriam decodes the sometimes cryptically sounding news, while Roger takes care of the business part. But at the end of the Argentine Berlinale competition contribution “The message“If one is (almost) inclined to believe in Anika's special skills.
In pierced black and white, director Iván Fund (“The Lips”) presents his road movie, which does not seem to be particularly in a hurry and is primarily supported with sad trumpet music. This only makes the repeated use of the PET shop boy classic “You Were Always on My Mind” stand out even more. The pet owners hardly play a role in the center, the outsider trio alone is in the center, which in their paths always seems to circling a psychiatric hospital in which Anika visits her birth mother in between. The fact that it has a very similar gift and possibly broken it would be at least an obvious interpretation.
Anika (Anika Bootz) poses in front of an animal cemetery, where she should contact a deceased dog called “Snoopy”.
Iván Fund takes a lot of time for everyday observations, from cumbersome showers to the temporary dinner at a petrol station. The suspicion that the adults take advantage of the child for their purposes is obvious, but is gradually being invalidated with each other by the loving dealings. You somehow have to struggle, there is no bad thought behind it, the distrust gives way to melancholy. Again and again a fine, dry, but also touching humor seems to be through, for example when Anika is working in a somewhat bizarre animal cemetery on the grave of a dog called Snoopy.
This is a little reminiscent of Federico Fellini's neorealistic classic “La Strada – The Song of the Street”, but Iván Fund refrains from putting additional stones in the way of its protagonist. Your life is certainly not the easiest, but there is no “setback” in the whole film that would make your situation worse. No angry customers, no (additional) money worries. It is a gentle around without special ups and downs, which is why it would not be unfair to say that the film ripples over long distances.
The appearance of the Wombat is one of the absolute highlights of “The Message”.
On the roadside there are always spectacular landscapes or small peculiarities that keep you up despite the lack of drama. Above all, there are – mostly very short – appearances. If you get directly with a turtle instead of dog or cat, this is already a clear announcement! And indeed: as an absolute climax, even a cozy chewing Wombat-and when Anika attests to one of her “communication partners” a deep loneliness because he misses his brothers, the young owner also produces an animal that cannot be used in her carrying bag would have expected.
Conclusion: In this road movie the way is the goal. A deeply melancholic meditation in a stabbed, beautiful black and white, in which you may not be too much upset about a standing out of the hand, because you will always be excited about which animals are still excited about a short appearance (soooo cute!) Surk by.
We saw “The Message” as part of the Berlinale 2025, where it was shown as part of the official competition.