Luis Javier Henaine Talks Immersive “Sensory Experience” of ‘Disappear Completely’

Filmmaker Luis Javier Henaine has crafted a first rate and downright chilling thriller with Disappear Completely. Henaine talked to Deepest Dream about the acclaimed feature which hits Netflix April 12.

Disappear Completely centers on Santiago (Harold Torres), a tabloid crime photographer who is solely focused on his job. This comes at the expense of spending quality time with his girlfriend Marcela (Teté Espinoza). Something has to give, as their relationship takes an important turn when Marcela announces she is pregnant.

Still self-centered beyond belief, Santiago continues to focus on taking pictures at whatever price. A mysterious illness ultimately hits Santiago, who actually thinks there is a supernatural reason for his illness.

The sound design and pacing of Disappear Completely is top-notch. Director Luis Javier Henaine, who co-wrote the script, also takes a pretty big gamble with the movie’s final moments, and that risk absolutely works. Listen to Bruce Purkey, Eric Holmes and I praise the heck out of Disappear Completely (aka Desaparecer Por Completo) on CinemAddicts. Review starts at 16:41.

As the story progresses, Santiago starts to lose control of some of his senses. Although Disappear Completely does have its violent moments (Dog lovers beware!), most of the scares come Santiago’s gradual undoing. “(I wanted to) make a film with a sensory experience and make the audience a part of it,” said Henaine. “I also wanted to make it immersive so the audience can empathize, in a way, with the character and see it from his point of view. The senses – it’s a very abstract concept. It’s very difficult to portray that on screen.”

Full interview with Luis Javier Henaine is below. Catch Disappear Completely on Netflix starting April 12!