Contributor: Socorro González Barajas
Having garnered two awards at the 2008 Sundance film festival, this Friday, February 15th the original film Sleep Dealer of New York filmmaker Alex Rivera makes its way to Puerto Peñasco (6 p.m. Meet & Greet, 7 p.m. Film at CitiCinemas). Having won the Alfred P. Sloan Feature Film Prize and Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award at Sundance in 2008, Rivera’s first feature-film tells the story of Memo (via the concise and measured performance of Luis Fernando Peña), a young mentally restless dreamer whose soul harbors the desire to travel along the well-trodden path of creating a better future, and of escaping his miserable community of Santa Ana del Río, Oaxaca – an arid, unfertile and overwhelming prison, with a scarcity of water and money and, above all, illusions.
I like the idea that Rivera flirts with science fiction, rather than going deeper into it through codes and resolutions of the genre; while yes this is addressed, it does not appear to be his primary interest. Nevertheless, it serves him quite well in maintaining an unhurried rhythm and atmosphere of disillusion throughout the film. The filmmaker at times builds in a simple and interesting homage to classic films such as Metropolis (Lang, 1927) or Blade Runner (Scott, 1982). It is precisely this search and existential conflict of the characters – such as in Scott’s film – which from my point of view becomes the principal idea moving the filmmaker.
After his father is killed, Memo debates with himself in trying to escape the imminent guilt, to get away from his sad past of loss and rupture that has put his restlessness for transcendence at risk. Rivera then launches into a drama of chance encounters and missteps, guiding his creatures through the dark urban nooks and crannies of Tijuana. The landscapes formed by stark contrasts, light and shadows, and saturated colors captured by cinematographer Liza Rinzler (Dead Presidents, 1995), are constructed as metaphors for the thoughts of the three protagonists. The city acquires an interesting futuristic dimension with a combination of technological advances and human abandonment. Along his path, Memo is led by the hand by Luz Martinez (Chilean actress Leonor Varela), an unsuccessful writer who is strongly attracted by the presence and story of young Memo, who she begins to use as a source of inspiration for a new virtual novel that in itself serves as an antidote to counter the pain inflicting Rudy Ramírez (interpreted by the always wonderful Jacob Vargas), responsible for the death of Memo’s father. This concrete fact gives a spin to the story and the existential drama of the three characters begins to make sense through love, solidarity, and in the lyricism that well-constructed memories create. The lost pieces of the puzzle begin to appear little by little so that they may be put together and redeemed in a story of hope.
Far beyond a ranting diatribe toward a world whose dehumanization is evident and accelerated; where territorial conflict, globalization, ecological disorder, and the much explored theme of migrants is the topic of the day, Alex Rivera’s Sleep Dealer tells the story of three human beings that flee from solitude.
Socorro González Barajas holds a degree in Hispanic Literature from the University of Sonora; he has been a coordinator of the First Take Film Club (Cine Club Primera Toma, A.C.) since 1996. His drawings and graphics have been published in various books, newspapers and magazines in Mexico, along with his cinematographic summaries and critiques. He is a visual author and creator. His published book of drawings “Retratos Inciertos” (Ed. Primera Toma, Unison, Mexico, 2002) has been presented in various cities including Havana, Cuba. He has coordinated and provided consultation on the production of 203 short-films and one feature-film. Currently he is in the process of making a documentary “Los murmullos de la memoría” (Life and Work of writer Guillermo Munro Palacio), from which will come a short-film (2013), a medium-length film (2013), and a feature-film (2014); Socorro is a recipient of the 2012-2013 FECAS/ISC (Sonora State fund for Culture and the Arts/Sonoran Cultural Institute).
Sleep Dealer de Alex Rivera
Por Socorro González Barajas
Con dos premios en su historial, llega a Puerto Peñasco este 15 de febrero el original filme Sleep Dealer, lo que fuera la ópera prima del medianamente joven realizador neoyorkino Alex Rivera. Ganadora del Alfred P. Sloan Feature Film Prize y el Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award en el Sundance Film Festival de 2008, Sleep Dealer cuenta la historia de Memo (un mesurado y conciso Luis Fernando Peña) un joven soñador, mentalmente inquieto, cuya alma aguarda el anhelo de viajar en la ya trillada idea de crear un mejor futuro, de escapar de esa miserable comunidad de Santa Ana del Río, Oaxaca, que se construye como árida prisión, infértil y agobiante, con escases de agua y dinero pero sobre todo, de ilusiones.
Me agrada la idea de que Rivera coquetee con la ciencia ficción más que profundizar en ésta con los códigos propios y resoluciones del género; si bien lo aborda, parece no ser su interés primordial. Sin embargo le sirve muy bien para mantener ese ritmo lento y atmósfera de desencanto durante todo el metraje. El cineasta construye por momentos un sencillo e interesante homenaje a filmes ya clásicos como Metrópolis (Lang ‘27) o Blade Runner (Scott ’82). Y es precisamente la búsqueda y conflicto existencial de sus personajes –como en el filme de Scott- lo que desde mi punto de vista se configura como la idea principal que motiva al realizador.
Tras el asesinato de su padre, Memo se debate consigo mismo tratando de escapar de la culpabilidad inminente, de su triste pasado de pérdida y rompimiento, que ha puesto en peligro sus inquietudes de trascendencia. Rivera detona entonces un drama de encuentros y desencuentros, guiando a sus criaturas por obscuros recovecos urbanos en la ciudad de Tijuana, paisajes formados por los altos contrates, las luces y las sombras, los colores saturados capturados por la cinefotógrafa Liza Rinzler (Dead Presidents, 1995), se construyen como metáfora de los pensamientos de los tres protagonistas. La ciudad adquiere una dimensión futurista interesante, combinación de avances tecnológicos y abandono humano. 
En su trayecto, Memo es guiado de la mano por Luz Martínez (la chilena Leonor Varela), escritora sin éxito que se siente fuertemente atraída por la presencia y la historia del joven, a quien empieza a utilizar como fuente de inspiración para su nueva novela virtual que sirve de antídoto para contrarrestar el dolor que aflige a Rudy Ramírez (interpretado por el siempre agradable Jacob Vargas), responsable y asesino del padre de Memo. Esto hecho concreto dará un giro a la historia y el drama existencial de los tres personajes empezará a adquirir sentido en el amor, en la solidaridad y en el lirismo que crean los recuerdos bien construidos. Las piezas perdidas del rompecabezas van apareciendo poco a poco para armarlos bien y redimirlos en una historia de esperanza.
Lejos de desbocarse en una diatriba hacia un mundo cuya deshumanización es evidente y acelerada; donde los conflictos territoriales, la globalización, el desorden ecológico y el ya muy explorado tema de los migrantes están a la orden del día, Sleep Dealer de Alex Rivera relata el trayecto de tres seres humanos que huyen de la soledad.