ith a physical book’s pages flipping, very much like a Disney animated feature of yore, “Mariana Ant” also begins with the line “Once upon a time …” setting the stage for a curious, whimsical yarn. In the faraway region of Thorbat (a somewhat erstwhile vision of Spain), a young girl, Mariana (Ursula Tomas), perches over an anthill, gleefully watching its scurrying inhabitants. But her reverie is interrupted by her mother, who rushes her off to the town square to help beg for money – a disingenuous occupation, as it’s easier than working a real job, of which there are various kinds available in the town.

Exceptionally well-photographed, with satisfying camerawork, lighting, and staging, this brief fable is a visual treat. Even the sets and costumes are thoroughly convincing, overflowing with vivid colors and odd props. The tone is also fitting, using close-ups, musical cues, and other exaggerations to elevate its premise of absurdities – including by having a wide-eyed stylite preach to the heavens and bringing in an acutely eccentric doctor to examine Mariana, who comes to believe she’s an insect.

Despite the allure of the imagery, the plot itself is a bit of a mess. It may hint at innocence, greed, perspective, purpose, and conduct, but it fails to get its point across; it struggles with conveying its meaning, establishing a mood rather than an intention. Ironically, director Maite Uzal was quite aware of that possibility, but nonetheless embraces the arcaneness of her picture – one inspired by the inscrutable, surreal components of Bunuel (specifically “The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie”) and Dali. It certainly doesn’t help that the story spans enough time to feature two different actresses for both Mariana and her mother, further disrupting the ability for an audience to grasp the message and the cynicism of contrasting mindsets and wishes gone awry.

– Mike Massie