I Only Rest in the Storm is the next screening I received that premiered at this year’s Cannes Film Festival. Co-written & directed by Pedro Pinho, the film stars Sérgio Coragem, Cleo Diára and Jonathan Guilherme. Sergio travels to a metropolis in West Africa to work for an NGO as an environmental engineer on a road project between the desert and the forest. He becomes entangled in complex relationships with two locals, Diara and Gui, and investigates the disappearance of his predecessor, all while navigating the dynamics of the expatriate community and the underlying contradictions of the territory.

As I was looking ahead at the screenings I had, I knew I had a busy week ahead of me, but I saw that this one was 3 and a half hours long, I was overwhelmed and intimidated, especially knowing I had two other reviews due out on the same day. While I certainly felt exhausted by the end of this, I did enjoy it and think it’s something that others should watch even with the runtime.

Under Pedro Pinho’s direction, the film is completely authentic from the performances to the location. Given what is required from the talent, it speaks volumes with the authenticity Pinho requires. What is required from the talent and this story requires even more from the audience as we have to be rewarded. While the film could have used some trimming to its runtime, I can applaud Pinho for creating something incredibly ambitious.

For such a long film, Sérgio Coragem turns in a standout performance. He shows so much restraint in his character who has to hide a part of who he is. My personal favorite performance though goes to Cleo Diára. Again, to have this talent leading such a long & ambitious film is one thing, but to have Diára bring out so much emotion with her performance shows her strength as an actress and gives her a powerful character to tap into.

While it may seem like not much happens, the film gives you something visually stimulating to ponder on. With themes of climate change & identity, the film captures how these characters live in these certain circumstances. It’s something that feels easy to connect with. Based on where this film ends, it shows how these stories and these issues will continue on. It’s just a matter of how we decide to live in this world of ongoing issues.

With such a long runtime, there are certainly aspect of the film that I think could have been cut out to help improve the pacing. Long runtimes struggle in theaters as it is, and I am very curious what the future of this film holds. It almost makes me think it could have possibly been a miniseries to market better to streaming distributor. Then again, it’s rare we get movies this ambitious and honest. I just hope this film finds it earned success. While the amount of runtime did overwhelm me, it easily stuck with me the more I thought about it.

Overall, I Only Rest in the Storm offers something new that’s worth seeking out. The performances phenomenal and stay committed even with what’s asked of them. It’s clear director Pedro Pinho has a bright future ahead of them as a filmmaker. The runtime is a big ask, but it is ultimately a rewarding experience.

VERDICT: 3.5/5 (Pretty Good)