MACHUCA by Andrés Wood
December 10th, 2004 by Andre Soares
Machuca (2004)
Direction: Andrés Wood. Screenplay: Andrés Wood, Roberto Brodsky, and Mamoun Hassan. Cast: Matías Quer, Ariel Mateluna, Manuela Martelli, Aline Küppenheim, Ernesto Malbran, Tamara Acosta, Francisco Reyes
GROWING TRAUMAS
Machuca is a generally well-made, at times moving depiction of a difficult historical period — Chile on the verge of the military coup that deposed Salvador Allende — as seen through the eyes of three pre-adolescents from different social classes.
Despite an excessive use of hip sounds from the ’70s that tend to be more distracting than mood enhancing, director and co-screenwriter Andrés Wood does manage to capture the feel of early 1970s Chile, especially in the street scenes.
As a plus, Wood has an excellent grip on his solid cast, extracting several outstanding performances.
At the 2004 edition of the AFI FEST in Los Angeles, Wood stated that Chilean law forbids the negative portrayal of that country’s military on screen. Yet, Wood added that no one has come after him because of Machuca, which presents the Chilean military in a highly negative light. Some right-wing Chileans, however, have accused the film of distorting history.
Machuca was nominated for a Goya in the best Spanish-language foreign film category.
Reviewed at the AFI FEST.
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I love that film. Andres Woods was able to capture the Chile of the 70s. Everyone should see it.