The Surreal Liminality of Bardo, False Chronicle of a Handful of Truths (2022)
Alejandro González Iñárritu’s (2022) is an epic, visually immersive journey that serves as a deeply personal exploration of identity, memory, and the fluid nature of reality. The film follows Silverio Gama, a renowned Mexican journalist and documentarian living in Los Angeles, who returns to his native country after winning a prestigious international award. This homecoming triggers an existential crisis manifested through surreal, dreamlike visions that blur the lines between his past and present. The Concept of the "Bardo" Bardo(2022)
The title refers to the Buddhist concept of the bardo —a liminal, transitional state between death and rebirth. In the film, this manifests as a "state between life and death," a spot where consciousness can still perceive the world but is no longer anchored to it. Iñárritu uses this framework to explore the "primary symbols of life in dreams," specifically water, to represent birth, life, and eventual cessation. Themes of Identity and Displacement The Surreal Liminality of Bardo, False Chronicle of