Rating: 
Posted: 2:19 am
September 5, 2008
JUDGING by the lovely "Au gust Evening," writer/ director/editor Chris Eska's first feature, his name is worth remembering.
Eska uses a minimum of dialogue and a maximum of ambiance to tell the tender story - set in southwest Texas - of an undocumented Mexican farmworker and his widowed
daughter-in-law as they face life after the elderly man's wife dies unexpectedly.
Pedro Castaneda, a nonprofessional appearing in his first film, and Veronica Loren tug at your heartstrings with their portrayals of the lead characters.
Yasu Tanida's lensing is worthy of note - his wordless shot of a partly eaten watermelon speaks volumes.
Eska grew up in a Texas town with a population (not counting farm animals) of 98. He obviously has a feel for the people and landscape pictured in "August Evening. "
Now I want to track down Eska's previous movie, "Doki-Doki," a 34-minute work set in Tokyo. (Tanida is the co-
cinematographer.)
According to chriseska.com, there are two versions, one "uplifting," the other "bittersweet." I'll take the latter.
In Spanish and English, with English subtitles. Running time: 127 minutes. Rated PG-13 (mature themes). At the Village East, Second Avenue and 12th Street.
vam@nypost.com
