“The Message”, interview with director Ivàn Fund

February 22, 2025

Ivàn Fund, director of The Message: “I wanted a story about that moment in which you, as a child, realize you are part of something - and in that process, you gain a voice”.

“The Message”, interview with director Ivàn Fund Chiara Nicoletti

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Argentinian director Ivàn Fund presents at the 75 Berlin International Film Festival his 8th feature film, El Mensaje – The Message.

The film tells the story of a young girl (newcomer Anika Boots) with the gift of communicating with animals, in particular domestic pets such as dogs.

Her family force her to live traveling on the road and make this “communicating to pets” a business.

Ivàn Fund chooses black and white and relies on the incredible performance of Boots who rarely talks but speaks loudly than words.

While traveling along Argentina, the film reflects also its current reality: the economic and social crisis affecting urban centers and its ripple effects in small towns and rural outskirts.

Though believing a film must not have a message to deliver, Ivàn Fund confirms that the film is an in invitation to stay more connected to nature, to animals, to people.

Plot

On the dusty roads of the Argentinian countryside, a young girl’s gift pushes her opportunistic guardians to sell pet medium consultations to make a living. Whether magic or fraud, one thing is certain: the service is real – and innocence is a treasure.

Written by: Chiara Nicoletti

Guest

Ivàn Fund