Perhaps realising that the corpse-humping in Aftermath was going to be impossible to beat in the sickness stakes, or maybe because he just didn't want to risk repeating himself, director Nacho Cerdà's next project after his infamous necrophilia classic was Genesis, a poetic study of grief. With not a single frame of hot cadaver sex in its 30 minutes runtime, it might disappoint the extreme horror fans who loved Aftermath, but those who like their cinematic weirdness to have a distinct art-house flavour, it should be something of a treat. A distraught sculptor, whose wife has died in a car crash, lovingly carves her likeness out of stone. But as he puts the finishing touches to the statue, it begins to bleed. Gradually, the life-size figure of his beloved spouse becomes real flesh and blood, but, as it does so, the sculptor slowly turns to stone. In devoting himself to keeping her memory alive, and by eternally grieving, he ultimately destroys himself (at least that's how I understood it). Once again, Cerdà proves that he is an extremely adept and brave film-maker, who has great control over both his imagery and sound. The visuals are beautiful, the camera movements smooth, and his use of classical music to accompany the drama is brilliant. Genesis is surreal, hypnotic, and dreamlike effort that is open to interpretation, and how much you enjoy it will depend entirely on how well you cope with ambiguous story lines. I enjoyed this film, and applaud Cerdà's willingness to explore new territory, but, to be honest, I preferred his more prevocative and shocking Aftermath (I confess, it's the sick gore-hound in me!). However, I am looking forward to seeing The Abandoned, which he wrote with fellow art-house horror film-maker Karim Hussain, to see how well he handled his first full-length feature.
14 Reviews
Entrancing, poetic film
Casey_Moriarty29 May 2008
Warning: Spoilers
This film is an interesting one- I'll start by saying I rented the DVD out of curiosity to see Aftermath, but I'm very glad this was included too. It's a haunting short film, and to see Pep Tosar in this role right after I watched his depraved Aftermath character is certainly interesting- this guy's a damn good actor. The film itself speaks about a man's obsession with his deceased wife- and it tells the story with no dialogue of any kind, just a series of images, many of which are very powerful and well structured. I particularly like the one where Tosar's character is midway through the transformation he undergoes in this movie and is staring across the room at the statue of his wife. Really a beautiful image. It's interesting because I was recently in a discussion where the proposition was put forth that the only way to immortality is to obsess over your work. In 'Genesis' the sculptor definitely obsesses... and as a result he is able to see his wife in the land of the living again, just before the last of his own flesh and blood hardens to stone. A very interesting motion picture.
Well it's certainly different!!!!
cool_cool_18 June 2006
Warning: Spoilers
Genesis (1998) is a very original Spanish movie from Nacho Cerda who also directed "Aftermath", i think out of the 2 films this one is much better, "Aftermath" just seems to be a sick little movie with no plot!! This film is about a Sculptor who's wife dies tragically in a car accident, the guy loved his wife so much and is totally shattered, so in her memory he creates a life size sculpture of her, but crazy things start to happen, the sculpture starts becoming human, it starts to bleed and more skin appears, as this process is going on, the man starts to turn to stone!!! Very bizarre i know but it's only 30 minutes in length and remains entertaining during that time! Seek it out if you like foreign films that are sad and powerful and very different!!! 7/10.
Flawless Film-Making
ElijahCSkuggs7 February 2007
Heading into Genesis I was aware of one thing: it's only 30 minutes long. Beyond this, I was totally clueless to what would follow. What did follow was one of the best short-films I've ever seen. Check that....movies I've ever seen.
Genesis is the story of a man who from unknown reasons lost his wife. Since losing his wife, he's spent countless hours crafting sculptures of his dearly departed. He's now finishing up on another sculpture and this time, he's truly completed his best work to date. He knows it's his best work, and so does the movie-goer. While putting finishing touches on his masterpiece, he notices a red drip come from out of the shoulder of his statue. Inquisitively he studies it for a little bit and decides to get some rest. A scene later you see him sitting in his bed and his nose begins to bleed, he rushes to the sink to clean up, but what you see in the sink, isn't blood anymore, but residue of some type of ashy clay. From this moment on you're taken on a eerily beautiful trip through, love, dedication and death. It's not just these three feeling/aspects the viewer experiences, these are just the ones I related to most. The movie captures many wonderful and sad things pertaining to life and death.
The movie is shot in a gorgeous way; the camera-movement is slow and the camera shots are crisp and graphic. There is zero dialog, but the film thrives with just one silent, talented actor. And I can't forget about the music, it's absolutely perfect, it fits the cinematography 100%. Genesis I believe is more fantasy than horror, but it held my attention firmly as would a horror movie. Simply and flat-out it's one of my favorite movies. 10 outta 10.
Genesis is the story of a man who from unknown reasons lost his wife. Since losing his wife, he's spent countless hours crafting sculptures of his dearly departed. He's now finishing up on another sculpture and this time, he's truly completed his best work to date. He knows it's his best work, and so does the movie-goer. While putting finishing touches on his masterpiece, he notices a red drip come from out of the shoulder of his statue. Inquisitively he studies it for a little bit and decides to get some rest. A scene later you see him sitting in his bed and his nose begins to bleed, he rushes to the sink to clean up, but what you see in the sink, isn't blood anymore, but residue of some type of ashy clay. From this moment on you're taken on a eerily beautiful trip through, love, dedication and death. It's not just these three feeling/aspects the viewer experiences, these are just the ones I related to most. The movie captures many wonderful and sad things pertaining to life and death.
The movie is shot in a gorgeous way; the camera-movement is slow and the camera shots are crisp and graphic. There is zero dialog, but the film thrives with just one silent, talented actor. And I can't forget about the music, it's absolutely perfect, it fits the cinematography 100%. Genesis I believe is more fantasy than horror, but it held my attention firmly as would a horror movie. Simply and flat-out it's one of my favorite movies. 10 outta 10.
One of the Most Hauntingly Beautiful Films Ever
EVOL66612 September 2005
After watching AFTERMATH - I didn't know what to expect from Nacho Cerda and GENESIS. I personally did not like AFTERMATH, not due to it being "disgusting" or "shocking", but because I just didn't get the point. I feel that AFTERMATH has been severely over-hyped due to it's subject matter, and that while it was a beautifully shot film, it just didn't have anything going for it, in my opinion. Not so with GENESIS - although the subject matter was not nearly as controversial, and there is very little in the "gore" department, GENESIS is one of the most well put together, hauntingly beautiful films I've ever seen. Not only is the camera-work itself crisp and clear, but the score and sound FX are absolutely perfect. The short centers around a man (Pep Tosar from AFTERMATH)whose wife is killed in an auto accident. He lovingly recreates her in sculpture, and the sculpture begins to come alive. As the sculpture of his wife begins taking on flesh and blood, the sculptor himself begins to turn to stone. GENESIS is not a "horror" film in the strict sense of the word. It is more a tragic love story dealing with themes of life,love, loss and death. I really don't know what to say about it, other than it is a real gem of a film and shows what a great director Cerda can be if approaching the right subject matter. Even though I personally was not at all impressed with AFTERMATH, GENESIS on the other hand is a masterpiece of a short film and makes me really want to see what Cerda will do next. Highly recommended 9 1/2 out of 10
Extraordinary beautiful & haunting.
Coventry29 April 2007
Warning: Spoilers
When discussing the older works of director Nacho Cerdà, people exclusively always refer to "Aftermath" and never mention "The Awakening" or "Genesis". Okay, admittedly "Aftermath" had the groundbreaking gore and dealt with genuinely shocking subject matter of necrophilia, but "Genesis" is a far superior film and easily one of the most haunting & visually impressive short films I ever saw. Nacho Cerdà here approaches an entirely different aspect of death, namely the difficult process of accepting the loss of a loved one and move on. Due to the melancholic and dramatic themes of this film, it naturally isn't as gross and repulsive as "Aftermath", but instead an intense, harrowing and unforgettable portrait of a man whose mourning process for his departed wife eventually turns against him. Pep Tosar, who also was in "Aftermath", plays a clearly heart-broken husband/artist trying to get over the death of his wife by creating a sculpture that looks exactly like her. Flashbacks and nightmarish sequences indicate, however, that the husband may have been responsible for the car accident his wife died in and the statue soon becomes of flesh and blood while the sculptor's own body turns to stone. The atmosphere of "Genesis" is uniquely grim & saddening, also because there's simply one (or maybe two) characters in the film, one filming location and absolutely no dialogs. Even though it's a terrific film, its playtime of 30 minutes is actually a good thing, because it's incredibly intense. Xavi Gimenez' camera-work is brilliant there's no other way to put it and sublimely tasteful and stylish despite the subject matter. Cerdà's direction is perfect, the music is enchanting and the overall ambiance of the film literally sent cold shivers down my spine. Undoubtedly the best project Nacho Cerdà ever achieved, and that includes "Aftermath" and "The Abandoned".
Better, but still not enough
Horst_In_Translation2 July 2015
Warning: Spoilers
"Genesis" is a half-hour, 1998 short film written and directed by Spaniard Nacho Cerdà. I watched his film "Aftermath" before this as, according to IMDb, these two belong together. I have to say, "Genesis" is certainly the better of the two, so the director has shown some progress. Sadly, this is only because "Aftermath" is really a very very weak excuse for a film and not because his work here is good. Anyway, I am not too sure if it is a sequel anyway. The only real parallel I can see is that the main character is played by the same actor. Oh yeah and both films don't have any spoken dialog either. But the main character is working in other professions, has a wife in one and a dog in the other and there are just not really that many similarities I believe.
This film's biggest strength is probably that it's nicely atmospheric. However, 30 minutes is simply too long for the action depicted in here. 15 max would have been fine. It's a bit of style over substance. A widower mourns the death of his wife and tries to create her out of clay. As you can maybe guess from the title, he is successful in the end after initially there was nothing but a bleeding sculpture. Well. I guess he was already on the right track there. This film got quite some awards recognition, but I wonder why. Cerdà has not been too prolific since 2009, but he has some upcoming projects listed in his body of work, so it seems he is still in the industry. Hopefully these will show further improvement. About this one here, not recommended.
This film's biggest strength is probably that it's nicely atmospheric. However, 30 minutes is simply too long for the action depicted in here. 15 max would have been fine. It's a bit of style over substance. A widower mourns the death of his wife and tries to create her out of clay. As you can maybe guess from the title, he is successful in the end after initially there was nothing but a bleeding sculpture. Well. I guess he was already on the right track there. This film got quite some awards recognition, but I wonder why. Cerdà has not been too prolific since 2009, but he has some upcoming projects listed in his body of work, so it seems he is still in the industry. Hopefully these will show further improvement. About this one here, not recommended.
Nacho Cerda's visually mesmerizing masterpiece.
HumanoidOfFlesh29 April 2006
I'm a rabid fan of Nacho Cerda's artful necro-shocker "Aftermath",but "Genesis" simply blew me away,when I first saw it on cinema screen in Warsaw nearly two years ago.This stunningly beautiful horror/short concentrates more on an extensive plot and theme,but still carries with it Cerda's taste for highly disturbing and confrontational imagery.Seemingly inspired by the classic Greek tale of Pygmalion and Galatea,"Genesis" concerns a sculptor whose wife has died suddenly in a car accident.Unable to cope with his grief,he begins to create a sculpture in her image.But as his work progresses,the sculpture begins to become flesh and blood,even as its maker's own skin becomes hard and stone-like."Genesis" is extremely beautiful,sad and heart-wrenching film about undying love and merciless death.Absolutely recommended.10 out of 10-what else?
Strange but compelling.
Muncher-219 February 2000
This movie starts off with home movies of a guy and his family. It is hard to work out what happens afterward, but after about 2/3rds of the movie you begin to realise what is going on. Unlike Aftermath, this one contains no necrophilia which may or may not be a disappointment to some viewers. This one is very hard to follow, but strangely compelling where the guy sacrifices himself for the one he loves, in a less than voluntary way.
good art film
marsipanunicorn15 March 2021
If you have seen Cerda's film "Aftermath" you are sure to like this one. While I thoroughly can enjoy a good gore film, an actual story, good acting and artistic expression is a plus. "Genesis" Is all that. A hauntingly beautiful film in which a man creates a sculpture in the image of his dead wife. It's about mourning and how far people are willing to go for the ones they love. Even when the man notices what is happening he still keeps trying to finish the sculpture with all his might.
Hauntingly gorgeous . . . a true work of art
urutsini29 January 2011
It's best if you approach this short without knowing what to expect. Then you can immerse yourself in the journey that it takes you on. In particular, the use of colour is brilliant. Genesis is washed out and if colour is used it is mostly weak sepia tones. This serves as a stark backdrop to the occasional, yet perfectly timed, splashes of vibrant colour. Reds, greens and even flesh tones are heightened to a level rarely seen elsewhere.
The slow and deliberate orchestral score provides the only narrative to this piece. Not that it needs anything else. This is all about exploring how much the artist (both the director and the lead character) is willing to invest in their art.
I can see why this would be too slow for some, but anyone who feels that way is missing the point. Accept it for what it is and you will walk away enlightened, like any good piece of art should.
The slow and deliberate orchestral score provides the only narrative to this piece. Not that it needs anything else. This is all about exploring how much the artist (both the director and the lead character) is willing to invest in their art.
I can see why this would be too slow for some, but anyone who feels that way is missing the point. Accept it for what it is and you will walk away enlightened, like any good piece of art should.
Haunting.
horizon200813 October 2013
After experiencing Aftermath I sat down to watch this thinking I was in for another gross out horror-fest, but how wrong I was. Genesis couldn't be further away from the full on gore of Aftermath if it tried. Its just beautiful, simply beautiful. The use of Classical music (which Im not even a fan of) ebbs in and out like waves on a shore, and there's a point about half way through where some light choral music rises in the background almost bringing you to tears. I will watch this again for sure, and Im so pleased to have it in my collection. In a way Im glad this director returned with something to show hes not just a one trick pony trying to sicken people with controversial horror. Genesis surely is a recommended short for anyone into dark cinema or not.
Tragically Beautiful When You Get The Point.
DarkSpotOn14 May 2022
Originally, i was going to give this movie a 3, and then i realized the depth of this movie. It's trying to present. Grief at its finest. It's a movie about a man that is making a sculpture of his own wife, that passed away in a car crash. Well, he puts so much love, and effort into the statue, that he begins to transform into a statue himself, and the sculpture of his wife begins being alive. It's really hard to put the finger on it, but it's a really beautiful movie, that you might not get at watching it first time, i did not get it either. Pretty much you love somebody so much, and grief their death, that you would do anything, to the point of sacrificing your own life, for that person to be alive again, well and happy, whatever the death of cause may be, in this case, because he is responsible in a way for her death, but anyway i think he'd do the same, if he was not responsible. It's a movie that is trying to show how our most closest ones, our loved ones, that we would do anything to bring them back from the dead. Seeing the sculpture form into a human, was probably the most interesting and unique idea to think of. It's a very bizarre idea, that works very well.
Decent
Michael_Elliott29 February 2008
Genesis (1998)
** 1/2 (out of 4)
Another Spanish horror film from Nacho Cerda. A man accidentally kills his woman in a car wreck and to keep her memory alive he sculps a life size figure of her. Soon after the figure is complete, the thing starts to bleed and slowly comes to life. This one here isn't as good as the above film but it does have several nice moments and some very good direction. The gore factor isn't nearly as high but the film is just as effective.
Available on DVD with the director's 1994 film Aftermath.
** 1/2 (out of 4)
Another Spanish horror film from Nacho Cerda. A man accidentally kills his woman in a car wreck and to keep her memory alive he sculps a life size figure of her. Soon after the figure is complete, the thing starts to bleed and slowly comes to life. This one here isn't as good as the above film but it does have several nice moments and some very good direction. The gore factor isn't nearly as high but the film is just as effective.
Available on DVD with the director's 1994 film Aftermath.
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