We close this year with this retro-futuristic directorial debut that queers Dante’s Inferno in a mesmerizingly fantastical way. Are you able to outwit Death Herself?
In a retro-futuristic, tropical-punk twist on Dante’s Inferno, a group of misfits converges at Babel, a legendary dive bar that doubles as purgatory. Here, La Flaca presides—the city’s Grim Reaper, but in the form of a quick-witted, seductive Black woman. The film features a diverse cast of characters, from demons to drag queens to a talking salamander, all dealing with their mortality in their own unique ways. At Babel, these souls gamble years of their lives with La Flaca, daring to outwit Death Herself.
Writer and director Gala del Sol’s debut feature is a mesmerizing, deeply eccentric and ultimately a vibrant retelling of a classic tale. Another stand-out aspect of this film is Martín De Lima’s score, which according to Variety is “a shapeshifting curiosity that swings from salsa to Balkan music without missing a beat.” Don’t miss out on this year’s closing film and join us at Vogelfrei to conclude this edition with one last iconic work!
