There is a relaxed approach to storytelling with A Loose End that is very beguiling. Its nonlinear arc unfolds at such a leisurely rate that it takes some adjusting to the pace but pays rewards throughout. It initially has large gaps in the narrative that are filled by the film’s end, while still leaving a few unresolved elements to spark the sense of wonder.
It starts with two mysterious people in a car talking about astrology, who soon spot a lone pedestrian walking down the street and run him down. It’s out of character violence is never to return, and the sense of urgent provocation is replaced by a sense of mystery as to what the collective tissue is that binds these divergent people together.
This Spanish film is a co-production between Uruguay, Argentina and Spain and is a work that is sprinkled with elements of those countries’ populist culture. These norms seem foreign to a Western audience and create a desire to look up a number of reverence points at the movie’s end to flesh out the experience. You are also rewarded with an ending that answers a lot while still leaving much to contemplate.
You can catch this wonderful work during the screenings that make up the 2026 HSBC Spanish & Latin American Film Festival.
2026 HSBC Spanish & Latin American Film Festival
Canberra 10 June – 5 July: Palace Electric Cinema
Adelaide 10 June – 5 July: Palace Nova Eastend Cinemas and Palace Nova Prospect Cinemas
Brisbane 11 June – 5 July: Palace James Street and Palace Barracks
Perth 11 June – 1 July: Palace Raine Square, Luna Leederville and Luna on SX
Melbourne 12 June – 5 July: The Astor Theatre, Palace Cinema Como, Palace Brighton Bay, Palace Church St,
Palace Penny Lane, Palace Westgarth, The Kino, Palace Balwyn and Pentridge Cinema
Ballarat 12 June – 5 July: Palace Regent Cinema
Sydney 18 June – 12 July: Palace Norton Street, Palace Moore Park and Palace Central
Byron Bay/Ballina 18 June – 12 July: Palace Byron Bay, Ballina Fair Cinemas
www.spanishfilmfestival.com
