Written and directed by Jose Pedro Lopes, The Forest of the Lost Souls is a black and white thriller about two people who seemingly meet by chance at an infamous suicide spot. After struggling to cope with a series of events from his past, ageing father Ricardo has decided to end his life in the Forest of the Lost Souls. It’s there he meets Carolina, a mysterious young woman who also has intentions of cutting her own life short. Well-educated on the subject, she becomes intrigued with Ricardo who seems to be developing second thoughts.
Doubting his method of execution, Carolina begins to talk about the ‘Conviction Theory’. She explains how people who don’t write suicide notes or have an alternative way of killing themselves are less likely to go through with it. After much deliberation, both decide to postpone their suicides in order to explore the forest. Whilst Ricardo and Carolina play coy about their reasons for wanting to die, they stumble across plenty of other lost souls who have since perished. It’s not until they venture further into the forest however that it soon becomes clear that one of them is not who they appear to be.
Shot on a seemingly low budget, Jose Pedro Lopes has been able to make the most of his limitations within this intriguing debut feature film. With breathtaking shots scattered throughout, Lopes has a keen eye for detail and manages to juxtapose the grim subject matter of suicide with the almost transcendental rural backdrop. Whilst the script is relatively light on dialogue, it never shies away from being provocative when it needs to be, with dollops of jet-black humour spread throughout its duration.
It’s Emmanuel Gracio’s soundtrack however that provides the backbone to this strange tale of death and deception. Whether it’s the calming ambience ringing softly in the background or the heart-pumping synthesised dread juddering violently at the forefront, Gracio is able to manipulate the viewer into an array of emotions. Breathing life into the film, Gracio’s music is able to make the most out every situation by flickering between its gentle atmospheric tones to its pulsating beats on a whim, creating an overall surrealist vibe.
At just 71 minutes, The Forest of the Lost Souls is an impressive debut from the up and coming Portuguese director. With plenty here to entice those who enjoy a bit of foreign cinema, this will surely please fans of the peculiar who like their films ever so slightly twisted. Whilst others may find the pacing to be a little slow or the plot a little muddled, this is a film which will most likely be sought out by those with a perverse love for horror. A unique entry into the genre, The Forest of the Lost Souls is a brave and bold vision from an exciting new talent.
THE FOREST OF THE LOST SOULS / CERT: 15 / DIRECTOR & SCREENPLAY: JOSE PEDRO LOPES / STARRING: DANIELA LOVE, JORGE MOTA, MAFALDA BANQUART, LIGIA ROQUE / RELEASE DATE: TBC
