One Early Morning, the Alligator Swallowed Me

The northern Colombian town of Plato is known for the legend of the Alligator Man, who could change shape and use his disguise to spy unnoticed on women in the river. There is even a museum dedicated to him. This confident student film breathes new life into the local folklore through an enigmatic portrait of a solitary fisherman. He is filmed on the river and in the wetlands, with an emphasis on the beauty of the surroundings.

The use of color and framing is striking. At times, the fisherman’s actions and poses are stylized and staged. We never see him speaking on camera. The poetic voice-over seems to express his inner world, but also reaches back to the legend and the past—to the exile of his ancestors, for example, which still weighs heavily on him. This hybrid narrative is about longing and not feeling welcome anywhere. The distinction between reality and the myth is less important.