MACHUCA d: Andrés Wood
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
Machuca is a generally well-made, at times moving depiction of a difficult historical period — Chile on the verge of the US-backed military coup that deposed popularly elected president 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, eliciting several outstanding performances, particularly from the three young leads, Matías Quer (top photo), Manuela Martelli, and, in the title role as the school’s odd-boy out, Ariel Mateluna.
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. Even so, the filmmaker added that no one has come after him because of Machuca, which presents the Chilean military in a thoroughly negative light. Some right-wing Chileans, however, have accused the film of distorting history.
Chile’s submission for the 2004 best foreign-language film Academy Award, Machuca was nominated for the Spanish Film Academy’s Goya Award in the best Spanish-language foreign film category.
Reviewed at the AFI FEST.
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Tags: Aline Kuppenheim, Andrés Wood, Ariel Mateluna, Chilean Cinema, Film Reviews, Machuca, Manuela Martelli, Matias Quer, Political Movies, Roberto Brodsky, Three-Star Movies
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I love that film. Andres Woods was able to capture the Chile of the 70s. Everyone should see it.
Mat?as te amo!!!!!!!!!
Te adoro!!!!!!