5. Sidewalls (2011, Argentina)
Original Title: Medianeras. Martin is a phobic in recovery that works as a web designer and almost never leaves his apartment. He suffers from hypochondria, insomnia and anxiety. Mariana is an architect that never built anything and is trying to get used to being alone after ending a 4-year relationship. She suffers from claustrophobia and works as a shop window's designer. Martin and Mariana have the same taste for music, watch the same movies and swim in the same pool. Both of them suffer with loneliness, living alone in small apartments called "shoeboxes". They live in Buenos Aires, in the same street, and although their paths cross, they never met. The movie is a reflection about loneliness in an era where cables and new technologies bring people closer and yet keep them apart. Smart, sweet and completely relatable, Sidewalls is also a film about the influence of the urban chaos and the cyber dependence in the modern life, especially in big cities. First time being a director for a long movie, Gustavo Taretto made a great job by writing and directing this film. He portrays Buenos Aires beautifully, focusing on the city's charming architecture, a mix of antique buildings and new constructions that compose a messy and unique skyline. Sidewalls is an interesting urban fairy tale, subtly touching, extremely simple and surprisingly clever that doesn't fail in any moment to captivate us.