★★★☆☆
Papagayo is an experimental documentary from filmmaker Omar Al Abdul Razzak Martínez that explores how politics, religion, and cultural identity can infiltrate and ultimately destroy an intimate relationship between two people who love each other.
The film uses a hybrid documentary approach that combines live-action footage, animation, and personal storytelling to explore the relationship between a Jewish Israeli illustrator and a Spanish filmmaker of Syrian Muslim descent.
The film follows Omar, whose longtime girlfriend ends their relationship a month after the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war in October 2023.
Before their separation, the couple had been working on a film together. Following the breakup, Omar attempts to complete their unfinished project using footage they shot in the Middle East and the illustrations she left behind.
“An experimental documentary that explores how politics, religion, and cultural identity can infiltrate and ultimately destroy an intimate relationship.”
Through this process, he reflects on their relationship, their cultural differences, and the political and religious tensions that shaped their lives.
Omar not only uses the documentary to process the ending of his relationship but also to question what he calls the parrot effect, a metaphor for how people repeat inherited political and religious narratives without questioning them.
One segment in the film, in which Omar interviews his father, captures this clearly.
His father tells a story about a friend of his who was dating a Jewish girl. Her father made her go to Israel for a job of some sort, and when she came back, she was marrying a Jewish man. He continues to discuss the religious aspects of the situation, attributing it to Jewish beliefs rather than Muslim beliefs. This is the first instance that clearly showcases what the core of the film is about.
However, that core becomes blurred and unclear throughout parts of the film, as the narrative is inconsistent and covers a mixture of topics instead of focusing on one clear argument.
This is where the film loses its luster. While the topics fall under the same overarching theme, the inconsistent narrative makes what Omar is trying to say unclear.
While I loved the animation sequences and thought they were both well-executed and intriguing, they could have been used to create a compelling character-driven narrative.
“I loved the animation sequences and thought they were both well-executed and intriguing.”
Instead, the way they’re blended with interviews and other storytelling elements hinders the film’s flow. The pacing becomes choppy, making it difficult to stay engaged at times.
Omar Al Abdul Razzak Martínez crafts a film that expands on hybrid documentary filmmaking, taking a big swing at making a personal and insightful film that questions traditions and why we blindly follow them.
“A personal and insightful film that questions traditions and why we blindly follow them.”
It’s a film that works on some levels but, as a whole, fails to captivate or develop its ideas into a solid thesis.
Related Reviews
Genevieve’s Garden Review: A Satirical Look at Modern Life | Three Rivers Film Festival 2026
Extra Geography – A Refreshing Take on the Coming-of-Age Genre | Philadelphia Film Festival Review