El Hombre Búfalo is a bizarre and somewhat haunting mockumentary that attempts to artistically address the dangers of journalism in Mexico. Over 100 journalists working in Mexico have been murdered since 2000. Journalists Without Borders calls Mexico “The most dangerous country without a war in which to practice journalism.” This art film crafts one such narrative. Director David Torres creates a classic yet modern labyrinth tale complete with its own minotaur.
At only 69 minutes in length, El Hombre Búfalo does an excellent job of introducing and developing characters while telling the story with just enough detail. While the titular Buffalo Man is only visible in glimpses, the other characters in the film are intriguing, humorous, beautiful, and very human.
The story follows Eric (Raúl Birones), a journalist who has been threatened by some criminal enterprise. They promise to kill him if he ever publishes again. Despite this, he finds a story in a homeless man (Antonio Monroi) who left home to search for his wife’s body and never returns. At points, it is hinted that perhaps this man is Eric’s Father, though we never get a clear answer. The film also follows other subjects, those who were touched by Eric, the Buffalo Man, or both.
There is one problem with this movie: its subtitles. While my Spanish is far from fluent, I noticed from time to time the translation took some massive liberties which affected the narrative's meaning. The biggest issue with the subtitles occurs during the final minutes of the film: A duo of narrators begin speaking in Zapotec and the subtitles say “Speaking in Zapotec '' then disappear for about 4 minutes. This entire segment is untranslated.
Despite this, the film is highly enjoyable. There are many moments of genuine beauty, exploration of the human condition, and outstanding cinematography. The more experimental segments show the subjects of the film ‘traversing the labyrinth’ of their daily lives, some unique long shots using GoPro footage, while the subject narrates. There is a simple and human beauty to the entire film. Its short length makes it easily digestible and poignant. Very little is said or shown which is not important to the story somehow. For these reasons and the very important message the film communicates, El Hombre Búfalo is an outstanding choice and is highly recommended for drama and world cinema library shelves.