One of the few films from Paraguay to make an appearance at TIFF, 7 Boxes is a must-see for action film fans. Part City of God, part old-school caper, the film follows Victor (Celso Franco) who is easily fixated on anything Hollywood. Living a penniless life as a delivery boy armed only with a wheelbarrow, Victor is given the job to mind seven mysterious boxes, as police and rival gangs chase the boy and his friend across the busy market in Asunción.
What follows is the kind of pacing most movies should be looking to for inspiration. Several shocking twists to the delivery shuttle Victor into new directions, keeping viewers hooked to how he’ll escape these challenges. As the precocious but ambition Victor, Franco excellently protrays innocence gone awry, and look for this young actor to nab more roles in South America and beyond.
Agile camerawork places us in the scene, sometime literally: a nifty angle positions the camera above the wheel on Victor’s ‘barrow as he careens through the hectic marketplace. A chunky score mixes classical music and electronica perfectly, mirroring the horrific ordeal Victor endures.
7 Boxes is one of those surprise hits at TIFF that should hopefully win it global attention. Thing is, it’s a low budget film from Paraguay so will a savvy distributor see the value in a sleeper flick sure to entertain audiences.
For more reviews of the films premiering at TIFF, go here.
