Horse Money (12A)

WATCHING Horse Money is very much like falling into a restless dream.

The film by award-winning director Pedro Costa has been praised for its stark imagery of endless night, crumbling buildings, lonely corridors and claustrophobic hospital rooms.

They reflect enigmatic lead character Ventura's state of mind as he faces incessant questions from disembodied voices.

It certainly makes a lasting impression and leaves that lingering feeling that what Ventura is encountering is unreal.

But like a dream – or a nightmare – the film can leaving you feeling trapped and confused.

Costa's story – the follow-up to 2006's Colossal Youth (2006) – is about a man being haunted by the ghosts of his past and his country's past.

But this is never explained and hardly even implied because Costa's style is so abstract. In a way this seems like a bit of a missed opportunity.

Because if the director wanted to explore Portugal’s tumultuous past and share it with the world there needs to be an understanding that the audience are not necessarily aware of the issues being explored.

Films can be an influential medium and even the slightest concession to a more conventional storytelling style could have made this much more powerful.

Horse Money remains a haunting experience but will try the patience of all but the most seasoned cinephile.

- Horse Money will be screened at Home in Manchester from Friday to Monday. The screening on Sunday at 5.20pm will be followed by a question and answer session with director Pedro Costa. Visit homemcr.org/film/horse-money for tickets