This article is about the 2005 film. For the biblical event, see War in Heaven.
Battle in Heaven (Spanish: Batalla en el cielo) is a 2005 Mexican-French-German film. It is the second feature film by director Carlos Reygadas who previously directed the Mexican film Japón. It was entered into the 2005 Cannes Film Festival.[1] Reygadas has said about this film: "it’s my problem child, and therefore the film of mine I love the most."[2]
Marcos (Marcos Hernández) is a working class man in Mexico, employed by "the general." Marcos learns that the baby that he and his wife kidnapped for ransom had accidentally died. The remainder of the film follows a despondent Marcos, seemingly haunted by the moral and/or legal implications of his actions.
Marcos stands next to his wife Berta (Berta Ruiz) at the subway as she sells clocks and sweets at a stand. He travels to the airport to meet the "general's" upper-middle class daughter, Ana (Anapola Mushkadiz) whom he has known since she was a child. Ana orders Marcos to take her to the "boutique" where she works in the sex trade. While driving, Marcos is very distracted, and at one point stalls the car. Ana recognizes that something is wrong, but Marcos claims he's distracted only because of his wife's supposed ill health.
Ana invites Marcos into the "boutique" so that he can have sex with one of her "friends." Marcos is apparently not aroused by the "friend." The friend tells Ana that Marcos would prefer her instead. Ana goes to talk to Marcos, and reminds him that they have known each other since her childhood. Marcos then reveals that he and his wife kidnapped a baby but the baby died before they could collect any ransom. Ana seems to remain composed at hearing this news.
Back home, Marcos has sex with his wife, Berta. They seem united in their sorrow regarding the dead baby. Marcos tells Berta that he told Ana about the kidnapped baby, indicating that the confession brought him relief. Berta, upset, demands that he make sure that "the princess" does not tell anyone. The next day, Marcos visits Ana. She seems annoyed by his visit, but drives him to her place where they have sex. Ana advises Marcos to turn himself in to the police.
Marcos, Berta, their son, and a few friends (including the mother of the dead baby, who does not know who took her child, nor that it has died) go out to the countryside. Marcos tells Berta that he is going to turn himself in. She asks him to wait until after the pilgrimage (which is in honor of the Lady of Guadalupe), an event that Marcos had earlier shown disdain for. Marcos seems to agree with his wife. Marcos' mental state seems to worsen. Instead of driving back with his party, he treks through the countryside. He reaches a peak with Christian crosses, overlooking a valley. Marcos buries his face in his hands.
Marcos visits Ana at her home. He tells her that he will turn himself into the police that day. She gives him a goodbye kiss. Marcos leaves the apartment. He pees his pants, goes back to the apartment and fatally stabs Ana.
The police become aware of both the attack on Ana and the death of the baby, and are in search for Marcos. Marcos seems to have joined the pilgrimage to the Basilica, at first on foot, and then on his knees. Someone places a hood over his face, but Marcos continues to hobble forward. The hood becomes increasingly stained with blood as he makes his way into the Basilica during the church service.
Eventually the pilgrims are gone, and the Basilica is vacant. The police allow Berta to go in to see her husband. She touches him on the head and he collapses.
Cast
Marcos Hernández - Marcos
Anapola Mushkadiz - Ana
Bertha Ruiz - Berta
David Bornstein - Jaime
Rosalinda Ramirez - Viky
El Abuelo - Chief of Police
Brenda Angulo - Madame
El Mago - Preacher
Francisco 'El Gato' Martínez - Gas Station Attendant
Diego Martínez Vignatti - Soccer Player
Alejandro Mayar - Police Inspector
Chavo Nava - Neurotic Conductor
Estela Tamariz - Ines
Production
Like Robert Bresson, Reygadas prefers to use non-professional actors,[3] while occasionally recycling one (Hernández had a small part as a chauffeur in Japón). Unlike Bresson, Reygadas puts explicit sex scenes in his films. The sex scene between Hernández and Ruiz was simulated at Ruiz's husband's request, according to Reygadas on an interview included on the DVD.
Casually, in a scene when Marcos is masturbating in front of the TV screen, he's watching a football league match between Pachuca CF and Atlante F.C., valid for the Primera División de México Apertura 2003, which ended with a draw & no goals scored.
Anapola Mushkadiz said that a prosthetic penis was used in the fellatio scenes with Marcos Hernández.[4]
Critical reception
Jonathan Romney says that "To a degree, Battle in Heaven might seem like another warmed-over example of a familiar movie myth: a fairly repellent no-hoper redeemed by hot sex with a quasi-virginal prostitute," but that "it's finally hard to know whether Reygadas takes his transcendental, religious theme seriously, or is deriding it outright - or even deriding us for taking it seriously."[5]
Lisa Schwarzbaum gives the film a grade of D+. "Between those two attention grabbers on a theme of flagpoles, languorously performed and indifferently observed, Mexican filmmaker/provocateur Carlos Reygadas pitches his own fight for the aesthetic tolerances of viewers, goading us to react to images about which he himself studiously offers no opinion." Schwarzbaum finds that "for all the shock of the movie's clinical carnality, this battle is lost."[6]
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This article is about the 2005 film For the biblical event see War in Heaven Battle in Heaven Spanish Batalla en el cielo is a 2005 Mexican French German film It is the second feature film by director Carlos Reygadas who previously directed the Mexican film Japon It was entered into the 2005 Cannes Film Festival 1 Reygadas has said about this film it s my problem child and therefore the film of mine I love the most 2 Battle in HeavenSpanishBatalla en el cieloDirected byCarlos ReygadasWritten byCarlos ReygadasProduced byPhilippe BoberSusanne MarianCarlos ReygadasJaime RomandiaJoseph RouschopStarringMarcos HernandezAnapola MushkadizBerta RuizCinematographyDiego Martinez VignattiEdited byAdoracion G ElipeBenjamin MirguetCarlos ReygadasNicolas SchmerkinMusic byJohn TavenerProductioncompaniesNodream CinemaMantarraya ProduccionesRelease dateMay 2005 2005 05 Cannes 1 Running time98 minutesCountryMexicoLanguageSpanish Contents 1 Plot 2 Cast 3 Production 4 Critical reception 5 Awards 6 References 7 External linksPlot EditMarcos Marcos Hernandez is a working class man in Mexico employed by the general Marcos learns that the baby that he and his wife kidnapped for ransom had accidentally died The remainder of the film follows a despondent Marcos seemingly haunted by the moral and or legal implications of his actions Marcos stands next to his wife Berta Berta Ruiz at the subway as she sells clocks and sweets at a stand He travels to the airport to meet the general s upper middle class daughter Ana Anapola Mushkadiz whom he has known since she was a child Ana orders Marcos to take her to the boutique where she works in the sex trade While driving Marcos is very distracted and at one point stalls the car Ana recognizes that something is wrong but Marcos claims he s distracted only because of his wife s supposed ill health Ana invites Marcos into the boutique so that he can have sex with one of her friends Marcos is apparently not aroused by the friend The friend tells Ana that Marcos would prefer her instead Ana goes to talk to Marcos and reminds him that they have known each other since her childhood Marcos then reveals that he and his wife kidnapped a baby but the baby died before they could collect any ransom Ana seems to remain composed at hearing this news Back home Marcos has sex with his wife Berta They seem united in their sorrow regarding the dead baby Marcos tells Berta that he told Ana about the kidnapped baby indicating that the confession brought him relief Berta upset demands that he make sure that the princess does not tell anyone The next day Marcos visits Ana She seems annoyed by his visit but drives him to her place where they have sex Ana advises Marcos to turn himself in to the police Marcos Berta their son and a few friends including the mother of the dead baby who does not know who took her child nor that it has died go out to the countryside Marcos tells Berta that he is going to turn himself in She asks him to wait until after the pilgrimage which is in honor of the Lady of Guadalupe an event that Marcos had earlier shown disdain for Marcos seems to agree with his wife Marcos mental state seems to worsen Instead of driving back with his party he treks through the countryside He reaches a peak with Christian crosses overlooking a valley Marcos buries his face in his hands Marcos visits Ana at her home He tells her that he will turn himself into the police that day She gives him a goodbye kiss Marcos leaves the apartment He pees his pants goes back to the apartment and fatally stabs Ana The police become aware of both the attack on Ana and the death of the baby and are in search for Marcos Marcos seems to have joined the pilgrimage to the Basilica at first on foot and then on his knees Someone places a hood over his face but Marcos continues to hobble forward The hood becomes increasingly stained with blood as he makes his way into the Basilica during the church service Eventually the pilgrims are gone and the Basilica is vacant The police allow Berta to go in to see her husband She touches him on the head and he collapses Cast EditMarcos Hernandez Marcos Anapola Mushkadiz Ana Bertha Ruiz Berta David Bornstein Jaime Rosalinda Ramirez Viky El Abuelo Chief of Police Brenda Angulo Madame El Mago Preacher Francisco El Gato Martinez Gas Station Attendant Diego Martinez Vignatti Soccer Player Alejandro Mayar Police Inspector Chavo Nava Neurotic Conductor Estela Tamariz InesProduction EditLike Robert Bresson Reygadas prefers to use non professional actors 3 while occasionally recycling one Hernandez had a small part as a chauffeur in Japon Unlike Bresson Reygadas puts explicit sex scenes in his films The sex scene between Hernandez and Ruiz was simulated at Ruiz s husband s request according to Reygadas on an interview included on the DVD Casually in a scene when Marcos is masturbating in front of the TV screen he s watching a football league match between Pachuca CF and Atlante F C valid for the Primera Division de Mexico Apertura 2003 which ended with a draw amp no goals scored Anapola Mushkadiz said that a prosthetic penis was used in the fellatio scenes with Marcos Hernandez 4 Critical reception EditJonathan Romney says that To a degree Battle in Heaven might seem like another warmed over example of a familiar movie myth a fairly repellent no hoper redeemed by hot sex with a quasi virginal prostitute but that it s finally hard to know whether Reygadas takes his transcendental religious theme seriously or is deriding it outright or even deriding us for taking it seriously 5 Lisa Schwarzbaum gives the film a grade of D Between those two attention grabbers on a theme of flagpoles languorously performed and indifferently observed Mexican filmmaker provocateur Carlos Reygadas pitches his own fight for the aesthetic tolerances of viewers goading us to react to images about which he himself studiously offers no opinion Schwarzbaum finds that for all the shock of the movie s clinical carnality this battle is lost 6 Battle in Heaven was later voted one of the 30 best films of its decade in a poll for Sight amp Sound 7 It was also ranked by Michael Atkinson of The Village Voice as the fifth greatest film since 2000 in BBC s 2016 poll 8 Awards EditRio de Janeiro International Film Festival FIPRESCI PrizeReferences Edit a b Festival de Cannes Battle in Heaven festival cannes com Retrieved 2009 12 05 BOMB Magazine Carlos Reygadas Jason Wood Carlos Reygadas in Talking movies contemporary world filmmakers in interview London Wallflower Press 2006 p 189 Anapola Mushkadiz No tengo tabues sexuales cronica com mx Archived from the original on 18 October 2007 Retrieved 2022 01 30 Jonathan Romney Battle in Heaven 18 The Independent Sunday 30 October 2005 Lisa Schwarzbaum Movie Review Battle in Heaven 2006 Archived 2009 04 27 at the Wayback Machine Entertainment Weekly Posted Feb 15 2006 Sight amp Sound s films of the decade British Film Institute Archived from the original on March 22 2019 Retrieved December 14 2016 The 21st Century s 100 greatest films Who voted BBC August 23 2016 Retrieved December 14 2016 External links EditOfficial Site France Official site Germany with different pictures Battle in Heaven at IMDb Interview with Anapola Mushkadiz by Peter Fraser Close Up Film Interview with Anapola Mushkadiz by Chris Neumer Stumped Magazine Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Battle in Heaven amp oldid 1168193491, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
