It Would Be Night in Caracas - SIFF [2026]

It Would Be Night In Caracas [2025]

Film

This film was viewed at the 52nd Seattle International Film Festival

Set in Caracas Venezuela during the 2017 protests, the Mariana Rondón and Marité Ugás directed film It Would Be Night In Caracas boasts a fiery premise. As the country descends into chaos and violence, Adelaida (Natalia Reyes) must navigate the grief of losing her mother in the film's opening moments, and surviving through the increasingly dangerous landscape surrounding her. It's a thrilling proposition, one that would instill thoughts of high stakes thrills and suspense throughout the film's 97-minute runtime. However, that was not the case for me. I found It Would Be Night In Caracas to be an arduous journey of two films spliced together. A phenomenally electric first act that established the action and thrills I wanted, but the remaining two-thirds was sadly lethargic and discombobulated. Ultimately making for a frustrating watch that, judging by its beginning, should've had a stronger ending.

Introducing Adelaida in the midst of her mourning for her mother, literally bringing her body to the cemetery to be buried, was perfect. Rambunctious rebels (assumedly) are lingering in the graveyard, shouting and shooting guns into the air, a stark contrast of emotions with Adelaida's somber procession to bury her mother. The gravedigger pleads for Adelaida to go home as the sun begins to set, as the area is growing increasingly dangerous, yet she stands resolutely in her grief. Rondón and Ugás' screenplay doesn't get better than this quick and incredibly sharp introduction. The warring emotions between Venezuelans along with an encroaching danger, unknowingly creeping towards Adelaida as the sunlight wanes sets a stunning picture.

Fast forward to a regime-loyal group of counter protestors taking over Adelaida's apartment, casting her into the streets where, in the dark, the violence has peaked. A phenomenal oner is used to track Adelaida wandering through the street, gunshots echoing around her, smoke filling the air, fires burning all around her. People are zipping past on motorbikes, tackling others as fights and death erupt around a certifiably confused and terrified Adelaida. Not only does the direction excel in this fast-paced, electric scene, but Reyes' performance is astonishing. This all being within the first act is as shocking as it is gripping.

Sadly, that is as far as it goes for It Would Be Night In Caracas. The tone of the film shifts into a much more dialogue driven drama between Adelaida and her old friend Santiago (Moisés Angola), a transition that I would welcome if it were managed more smoothly. Shifting from the high-octane apocalyptic vision of Venezuela to a more lethargic chamber piece is more jarring than it is intriguing. While Santiago and Adelaida have decent character arcs, Angola's supporting role as Santiago is actually really well done and delivers some soul-crushing moments, but those moments feel misplaced within the film.

Adelaida's need to assume a new identity to flee the country, signaling the loss of her identity along with her mother, is great writing yet the full picture doesn't come together. The stakes of Adelaida's exit from Caracas never fully materialize like the first act. The inclusion of her fiance, played by Edgar Ramirez, being murdered some years in the past felt like a greater distraction. Ramirez is a terrific actor and while It Would Be Night In Caracas is Adelaida's story, his exceedingly brief inclusion in the story is perplexing and removes more than it adds, and when all things are considered, that is the main takeaway from the film. A brief whisper of excellence that fades into the wind, leaving a more hollow experience than anything.

Froth

Knowing the politically tumultuous time that It Would Be Night In Caracas would be displaying, I thought I'd go for something light and easy to drink. Stoup Brewing's West Coast Pilsner is just that. It's incredibly light, which is immediately tipped upon pour given the brew's pale gold coloring and damn near transparent appearance, but wholly flavorful. The west coast flair brings in a resinous bitterness on the end but the malted spicy characteristics buouy the overall profile. I can't say it's my favorite of the West Coast Pilsner's I've had, but it is as refreshing as they come, and that's really all you need for a light sipper.