In 2017, Hurricane María ravaged Puerto Rico, leaving thousands dead and the rest of the country struggling to rebuild. Landfall details the brewing sociopolitical concerns that boiled over in the wake of a disaster that left the country lacking in basic resources like food and water. Infrastructure failures (that many blamed on the government's budget cuts) and the uneven, inefficient distribution of the nation's limited resources led to public outrage. The social and political unrest sparked mass protests culminating in the resignation of Governor Ricardo Rosselló in 2019.
Landfall focuses on the space between these two major events that are still shaping Puerto Rico's history and future. Moving images of beauty and wreckage from locations across the country show both the pain of destruction and hope for rebirth. This rebirth is not only a physical rebuilding but a spiritual one as well.
There is a history of exploitation of the island, ranging from long-standing U.S. war games held on its soil without care for the environmental or psychological effects to the recent influx of tech companies hoping to benefit from low tax rates. In one impactful scene, local women confront tech executives at a community meeting and accuse them of preying on the country's resources while sidelining the actual owners of the land.
Puerto Rico is the main character of this story both visually and narratively. Frequent low camera angles and closeups create a sense of intimacy as if the viewer is seeing the island from a first-person perspective. The understated documentary is both engaging and informative, bringing attention to what happened after the world's interest in Hurricane María waned. Landfall highlights the persistence, resilience, and courage of the Puerto Rican people as they fight for the future of their homes. Recommended. Aud: C, P.