What if your homeland collapses? What if the stores go empty, the medical supplies are cut off, the living standards fall to their lowest, and everyone’s future and life become incomprehensible? Each country and society has its flaws and struggles, but how many of us can say that our existence has become vague? Venezuela feels that way.
It’s the graveness of this notion that Simón navigates in a story that speaks of a whole nation’s misery through one man’s struggles. For almost a decade, Venezuela has fought for democratic freedom. With the opposition dissolved and a totalitarian regime by decree in charge, the nation’s wealth is lost, the poverty is beyond 96%, the bare necessities’ supplies are null, and the countrywide protests have unfortunately died.
“A Venezuelan student activist seeks asylum in the US while struggling with the trauma and guilt of abandoning his homeland.“
Amidst the nation’s downfall, millions have fled to nearing borders, seeking refuge and permanent asylum. But is it easy to leave everything behind, begin from the bottom, and forsake the place you’ve always called home? Diego Vicentini’s Simón depicts widespread chaos, its experiential mental impact, and the guilt of failure to bring substantial change. Based on the short film of the same name, Simón follows the titular immigrant, played by Christian McGaggney, who has fled Venezuela to Miami and is contemplating applying for asylum in the States. Haunted by the firsthand experiences of his nation’s struggle, worried about his identity in the new unknown place, and overwhelmed with the guilt of stranding his peers and friends back home, how could anything be simple for our protagonist?
Similar to the short film the feature adapts from, Simón focuses predominantly on the titular protagonist and his struggle with the loneliness and anxiety-ridden memories he has of home. We are initially made aware of a dreaded past through fading flashbacks of Simón leading a wide student protest against the violent military and police. We are also told of his proactive approach toward democracy and freedom and his strong wish for a better future for students who want to accomplish their dreams.
But even though Simón, the movie, resonates with the visceral struggle and dying hope of all Venezuelans and their endangered activism against the regime. In Vincentini’s showcase of a political drama, he embeds a psychological thriller to convey the actual effects of a nationwide conflict on its citizens and the subsequent jolt to their way of life. Through one man’s struggle to choose between his life and that of his morals and his outspokenly contrasting and blunt beliefs against political dictatorship, VIncentini’s Simón speaks of every Venezuelan enduring a similar squabble within themselves. Going into the extremities of mental and physical violation of one man’s integrity, Vicentini argues whether it’s possible to keep up with one’s moral predicaments under such duress.
