The Lifeguard

Starts as a wry, sunlit character study of an odd man at work, then quietly turns unsettling and hard to shake.

Directed by

Maite Alberdi

Genres

Documentary

Starring

Mauricio Rodríguez

Overview

Mauricio, a lifeguard on a Chilean beach, considers himself to be a model of efficiency and professionalism. His colleagues, however, think otherwise, and speculate on why he never goes into the water. Maite Alberdi's visually gorgeous feature documentary debut has the intensity of a short story; beginning as a quirky character study of lifeguards and beachgoers, it becomes something altogether darker and more shocking when events take a dramatic turn.

How it feels

Slow-burning and needs your attention.

About

Work, identity, isolation

Content

Mild language. No violence, gore or sexual content.

Note

Written by AI, so it can be wrong. Full breakdown

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Watch the trailer on YouTube (opens in a new tab)