Leonor Will Never Die

Directed by Martika Ramirez Escobar, Leonor Will Never Die follows Sheila Francisco’s title character, a retired screenwriter, as she falls into a coma and subsequently finds herself trapped in one of her own movies. It’s a potentially fun premise that is, for the most part, employed to dull and frequently interminable effect by Escobar, as the filmmaker delivers a languidly-paced endeavor that emphasizes oddball happenings over character development or forward momentum – with this vibe undoubtedly made emblematic by the ongoing appearances of a ghost that’s able to talk to the movie’s various figures (ie it’s just silly). Escobar’s increasingly desperate efforts at cultivating a whimsical atmosphere pave the way for a sluggish and predominantly tedious midsection, and although the writer/director has admittedly peppered the narrative with a few engaging moments (eg Leonor mouths dialogue alongside her characters), Leonor Will Never Die builds towards an incredibly, eye-rollingly broad climactic stretch that couldn’t possibly be less interesting or more unsatisfying – which does, in the end, cement the picture’s place as an annoyingly off-kilter piece of work that’s hardly as charming or appealing as Escobar has presumably intended.

* out of ****