Mondongo I: Mondongo - El equilibrista

A complex, disturbing and ultimately devastating trilogy of films, EL TRÍPTICO DE MONDONGO is an experimental portrait of failure and self-destruction, as well as the painful chronicle of a friendship’s demise. Mariano Llinás was commissioned to create a documentary about Mondongo, an Argentine art collective known for their portraits of cultural icons and popular myths produced using plasticine and other unconventional materials—a task that proved overwhelming. EL EQUILIBRISTA is perhaps the most “traditional” of the three films, an observational documentary that follows the creation of El Baptisterio de Colores, a dodecahedron inspired by the Baptistery of San Giovanni in Florence. As we witness the painstakingly intricate construction process, combined with an interview where the artists share their story, we sense the filmmaker’s frustration with the project’s direction. To enhance his portrayal of the process, Llinás begins experimenting: he incorporates Bernard Herrmann’s music to infuse everything with dramatic intensity, adds humorous and fictional elements, harshly criticises the artists’ work and slowly deconstructs the traditional idea of a portrait—much like Mondongo does in its own work. (Diego Lerer)

In the presence of Mariano Llinás.

Mariano Llinás: BALNEARIOS (2002), HISTORIAS EXTRAORDINARIAS (2008), TRES FÁBULAS DE VILLA OCAMPO (2011, K), LA FLOR (2018), CLORINDO TESTA (2022)