Zafari

“As a scriptwriter, coming off Contactados (Marité Ugás, 2020), which was rooted in suspense, I felt the need to lean into genre again—not as a stylistic choice, but as a narrative necessity. Telling Zafari in a hyperrealistic way risked turning the story into something grotesque, miserabilist, even pornographic, by exposing a world in the process of decay so directly.

What genre allows—and what really matters to me—is the possibility of making the spectator feel something very close to what the characters are feeling. It pulls the viewer away from a purely reflective, intellectual position and places them in a visceral one, in the stomach. I wanted to see what sensations emerge when the body reacts first. Making the audience physically feel hunger felt essential to telling this story.

The music, composed by Peruvian violinist Pauchi Sasaki, plays a crucial role in building that sense of physical anguish. As the film progresses, the spectator begins to confront something we prefer not to think about: the survival of our ethical, moral, and human principles is deeply intertwined with sheer physical survival.

From early on, all the elements pointed toward taking a step into thriller territory, and even brushing against horror. This decision shaped everything: the cinematography, the choice of location—an old building in Lima, the Marsano, whose identical floors and corridors form a claustrophobic labyrinth—the sound design, and the post-production process. Every aspect worked toward creating the feeling of a closed, oppressive world. It was a long process of fine-tuning and equalization, searching patiently for the precise balance the film needed to find its true tone.”

– Mariana Rondón, Director