EN 
ES 
By Juan Butten
I decided to watch The Brutalist on the recommendation of none other than my good friend José Andrés, who, as soon as he left the theater, told me, “Man, you have to see this. You’re going to be blown away, but it’s almost three and a half hours long, and you won’t even realize it.” I’m not going to lie, I thought about it a lot before deciding to go to the cinema, especially with the cold and snow falling that day. However, it had been so long since I’d disconnected from the noise of the art world, which mostly feels repetitive and increasingly homogeneous in the museums and galleries around the city, that I decided to take the plunge. I was tired of seeing artists trying to look the same at every corner of the city. So, without thinking too much, I bundled up and headed to the station to take the train to Village East by Angelika in Manhattan, where, according to my friend, I would find a true cinematic gem.
And although everything today is so instantaneous, the idea of sitting through a movie over three hours long felt like a challenge. Imagine that! Three hours and 35 minutes of cinema, for those of us who truly love great filmmaking: the splendor of images projected masterfully, a true gift for the senses. On the way there, I read the film’s technical details and discovered it was shot in various locations across Hungary and Italy between March and May of 2023. A cinematic luxury for true cinephiles.
When I arrived, I bought a Coca-Cola and some popcorn, and to my surprise, the theater was packed. It was barely past 2:30 in the afternoon, but I realized that in this city, there were others like me, willing to face this great cinematic challenge. I settled into my seat, the movie began promptly, and the theater remained in complete silence. No phones ringing, no glowing screens, no uncomfortable murmurs. I sank into my chair, took a deep breath, and before I knew it, the movie was over.
As I left, I tried to do the same thing my friend had done: describe what I had just seen. But I still couldn’t find the right words. What I did know was that the film had left me deeply moved. It took more than 24 hours before I was able to fully process what I had watched. The Brutalist is a profound reflection on architecture and human relationships, directed by Brady Corbet, who also co-wrote the script with Mona Fastvold. The cast is led by Adrien Brody, Felicity Jones, and Guy Pearce, among other renowned actors.
The story follows László Tóth, a Jewish architect of Hungarian origin who emigrates to the United States in 1947. After a humble start, Tóth secures a contract that will change both his personal life and professional career forever. Through his character, the film explores the complex interaction between brutalist architectural space and human relationships, all set within an emotionally charged context.
At the Venice Film Festival, the director shared something that stayed with me: “When drafting a formal statement or note of intent, it’s customary to dive deep into the themes and aesthetics of the project. But after nearly a decade of working on this particular story, I prefer to use this opportunity to thank each and every collaborator who made the ‘impossible film’ possible. My cast, my crew, my family… words aren’t enough.”
It was an honor and a privilege to have seen The Brutalist at the 81st Venice Film Festival in 70mm. A true testament to the power of cinema.
