Chris Knipp: Lorenzo Vigas: The Box/La caja (2021)

The Venezuela-born and New York-trained director Lorenzo Vigas was responsible for the 2015 Venice Golden Lion winner, From Afar/Desde allà, a highly original debut that depicted the unfolding of a complicated, dangerous relationship between a middle-class Chilean man living in Caracas (played by the great Alfredo Castro) and a combative young male prostitute he takes in (Luis Silva). Vigas' second feature, mysteriously titled La caja ("The Box"), moves far from any city, to the northern wastelands of Mexico. It follows the bond that develops between a big, fat, brash middleman for factory sweatshops, and a quiet orphaned teen in search of a father. With these different elements, there are germane themes, the relation of man and boy and similar dynamics and ambiguities, with a similar infusion of excitement and mystery.

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