10 Films to Understand Chile
Chile is a young country, a little over two centuries old as a Republic, and although its film history dates back from 1925 - with the film "The Death Hussar"-, in recent years this country has produced films of world-class quality.
These have earned international recognition in important film festivals such as Cannes, Sundance, the Berlin Film Festival, and earned distinctions such as the Goya Awards, the Berlin Bear and the Academy Award ( for ‘Story of a Bear’ in 2015, and ‘A Fantastic Woman’ in 2017.)
So, what better than turning to the seventh art to explore this country’s culture, roots and idiosyncrasy?
Let’s examine ten Chilean films that may help us understand this country and its people.
During the last years of the military government, a high school teacher is accused of disrupting the public order and is banished to the southernmost region of the country.
Isolated and forbidden to contact his family, he begins to establish gradual contact with the people of the area, a task spurred by necessity, but blundered by socio-cultural gaps and deeply encroached mistrust.
More than to geographic limits, the film’s name alludes to the frontiers we carry within, the boundaries imposed by our fears, ideologies, beliefs, cultures and own human limitations.
However, the landscape also plays a fundamental role in the story, both majestic and overpowering, swallowing the characters and accentuating their loneliness.
Through its poetic view sprinkled with touches of light humour, "The Frontier" explores how human relationships can bloom even in the darkest of times and under the strangest circumstances, and how the human spirit can prevail through adversity, even in the most desolate regions of the planet.
The start of the 1970's was a turbulent time that saw many dramatic changes and social upheavals on a global scale, and Chile was not the exception.
Set in 1973, three years after the election of the communist president, Salvador Allende, "Machuca" focusses on the social experiment carried out by the government to force class integration: inserting underprivileged students into exclusive private schools.
The adaptation problems and clashes between students can be anticipated, but not the unlikely friendship that strikes between two of them, the rich kid, Gonzalo Infante, and the poor boy, Pedro Machuca.
Each one provides the other with a window into his own world, crossing the established social barriers, fostering approach and understanding. But while the kids are able to tear down their differences and find points of common agreement, the world around them whirls into a greater chaos that finally culminates in the coup d’Etat of 1973.
Although weakened by unnecessary subplots, the main story is solid and gripping enough to keep the viewer anchored until the end, and the careful production design accurately reflects the mood, environment and style of the time.
The official Chilean entry for the 2005 Academy Awards in the Best Foreign Film category, "Machuca" is a coming of age story, dipped in the social and political events of the time portrayed, but its message of friendship, love and understanding is universal.
In 1988, after 15 years at the helm of the government, president Augusto Pinochet decides to call for a popular referendum in order to decide his permanence in power.
With a scant budget, limited resources, restricted time slot for exposure and constant scrutiny from government officials, the opposition manages to create a media campaign that ultimately amalgamates the population into voting ‘No’ to the permanence of the military government.
Although the political issue is the context of the story, there’s no need to know history to understand the plot.
At its core, "No" is a story of populism - being able to recognise what drives people and how to reach out to the masses in order to reach a set goal. It can also be read as fable on the power of the media to change the course of events.
Although starred by Mexican actor Gael García Bernal, he performs a convincing Chilean accent and carries out the drama persuasively up to the very last frame.
With a screenplay penned by renown Chilean author Antonio Skármeta, ‘No’ was nominated in for the 2012 Academy Awards in the Best Foreign Film category.
Its poetic facture may not appeal to all viewers, and at times the gap between its many layers is harsh, but as an homage to the Chilean South and its people, this film offers an appealing window to better understand this remote area of the world.
From 1957 through 1970, the US State Department awarded full scholarships to a group of Chilean students to study Economics at the University of Chicago, under Milton Friedman and other distinguished professionals.
Years later, this group of graduates used their knowledge and expertise to transform the financial organization of the country, rescuing it from the ruins and turning it into a neoliberal stronghold. But what were the long-term costs associated to this enterprise?
An excellent documentary, narrated by the economists themselves, it help us to understand the source of the ‘Chilean Miracle’ performed in the 1980's, which turned Chile into one of the most competitive and financially stable nations in Latin America.
The tagline of this film is ‘Between light and hell’, making allusion to the life of miners, but also to the life in the coal mining town of Lota, located in the South of the country, which stumbles between both extremes as a foreign mining company exploits the riches of the country.
The film is loosely based on the stories written at the end of the XIX century by Baldomero Lillo on his personal experiences in the mining town, and published in 1904 under the name "Subterra" (Underground).
Filmed on location in Lota and the Talcahuano area, the film includes real-life characters such as Isidora Goyenechea and Luis Cousiño, two of the wealthiest entrepreneurs and landowners in Chile at the time.
A Spanish-Chilean production, "Subterra" displays impeccable set and costume design, music and cinematography, in order to bring to life as faithfully as possible, and with great respect, the work of Lillo to the silver screen.
Through its story, the viewer will be able to learn the social drama of the Lota miners -which barely ended at the end of the XX century-, as well as to an important page in the history of the country, rooted in conflictive cultural influences and permanent social inequities.
Biopic of the most famous folklorist and songwriter in the country, based on the namesake book written by her son, Angel Parra.
Official entry for the 2012 Academy Awards in the Best Foreign Picture category.
Although some of its scenes are over-dramatized for effect, the film sticks to actual events, and the excellent production (with locations in Chile and France) and fine cinematography make this film a product of fine visual quality.
A soundtrack with songs by Violeta herself, sung by Francisca Gavilán, the actress who plays her on screen, complete this carefully-woven production.
A good starting point for those not yet familiar with Violeta Parra and her legacy.
Starred by Luciano Cruz-Coke (former minister of culture and current Deputy), along some of the brightest stars of the golden generation of young Chilean actors, such as Benjamín Vicua, Felipe Braun, Francisca Lewis and singer Nicole, ‘Se Arrienda’ follows the life of Gastón and his group of friends, both before and after his six years studying abroad.
By the time he returns to Santiago, Gastón finds that everything has changed in his absence, and nothing is as he had planned, dreamed or expected.
The tagline ‘Welcome to the System’ resumes the tragic clash confronted by Gastón as he tries to rebuild his life, re-adapting to life in Chile and its bulk of social idiosyncrasies, conventions, codes, rites of passage and disappointments.
In spite of its slow pace, this film resonates with a generation of Chileans who feel represented by its characters - their views, objectives, opinions - and their struggle to assimilate into the social system that they vowed to fight but to which they must ultimately yield.
Raquel is a house maid who has worked with the same family for the last 20 years. Her whole life is turned over onto the family needs. Almost considered a member of the family, she is indispensable to keep the house going.
But Raquel’s world crumbles when her family decides to hire someone else to help her. A strange turn of events unravel, and the family won’t understand the precarious limits of their relationship and the price of their attachment to Raquel until it’s too late.
A fully fictional story, ‘La Nana’ is a black comedy that can be set anywhere in the world, but carries the particular stamp of the subtle rules, conventions and attitudes that exist in the microcosm of the Chilean family.
Official Chilean entry for the 2011 Academy Awards’ Best Foreign Picture category.
The robbery of a clandestine movie rental store that doubles as a dollar black market, quickly turns into a disaster that reaches levels of national security.
Set in 1990, and based on a true story, the film reflects clearly the social mood, historical moment, stylistic cliches and looks of the era.
With the title role played by Mexican actor Armando Araiza, "Johnny 100 Pesos" was the first commercially successful action film in Chilean history, and spawned a sequel, "Johnny Cien Pesos 2", released in 2017.
Although filmed with a very limited budget, with sparse locations and an economy of resources, the story succeeds in capturing the attention of the public due to its blend of action and humor set at a throbbing pace.
As with all art pieces, films are only versions of reality, conveying the director’s view of the world around them.
But in their brief extension, these films may allow us to explore stories, ideas, social and cultural issues, concepts and events, impelling us to learn more about the subjects that interest us and come up with our own conclusions.
Unfortunately, many of these films are not subtitled, and even those which are don’t always convey the subtleties of the language, so it's a good idea to refresh your Spanish before you watch them. Or better still, watch them with someone who speaks the language fluently in order to explain its nuances.
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