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| director = [[Andrés Wood]]
| director = [[Andrés Wood]]
| writer = [[Roberto Brodsky]]<br/>[[Mamoun Hassan]]<br/>Andrés Wood<br/>Eliseo Altunaga (consultant)
| writer = [[Roberto Brodsky]]<br/>[[Mamoun Hassan]]<br/>Andrés Wood<br/>Eliseo Altunaga (consultant)
| producer = Andrés Wood<br/>Mamoun Hassan<br/>Gerado Herrero
| producer = Andrés Wood<br/>Mamoun Hassan<br/>[[Gerardo Herrero]]
| starring = {{ubl|Matías Quer|[[Ariel Mateluna]]|[[Manuela Martelli]]}}
| starring = {{ubl|Matías Quer|[[Ariel Mateluna]]|[[Manuela Martelli]]|[[Aline Küppenheim]]|[[Federico Luppi]]}}
| cinematography = Miguel Ioann Littin Menz
| cinematography = Miguel Ioann Littin Menz
| editing = Fernando Pardo<br/>Soledad Salfate
| editing = Fernando Pardo<br/>Soledad Salfate
| music = Miguel Miranda<br/>José Miguel Tobar
| music = Miguel Miranda<br/>José Miguel Tobar
| studio = {{ubl|Andrés Wood Producciones|Tornasol Films|Chile Films|Mamoun Hassan|Paraíso}}
| studio =
| distributor = Menemsha Entertainment
| distributor = Menemsha Entertainment
| released = {{Film date|2004|8|5|Chile|df=yes}}
| released = {{Film date|2004|05|21|[[2004 Cannes Film Festival|Cannes]]|2004|06|11|Spain|2004|8|5|Chile|df=yes}}
| runtime = 121 minutes
| runtime = 121 minutes
| country = Chile
| country = {{ubl|Chile|Spain|United Kingdom|France}}
| language = Spanish
| language = Spanish
| budget =
| budget =
| gross = [[United States dollar|$]]3,187,700 (worldwide)<ref name="mojo">{{cite web|url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=machuca.htm |title=Machuca (2005) |publisher=Box Office Mojo |date=10 February 2005 |accessdate=17 August 2017}}</ref>
| gross = [[United States dollar|$]]3,187,700 (worldwide)<ref name="mojo">{{cite web|url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=machuca.htm |title=Machuca (2005) |publisher=Box Office Mojo |date=10 February 2005 |accessdate=17 August 2017}}</ref>
}}
}}
'''''Machuca''''' is a 2004 internationally co-produced [[Coming-of-age story|coming-of-age]] [[Drama (film and television)|drama]] film co-written and directed by [[Andrés Wood]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Machuca|url=https://www.fotogramas.es/peliculas-criticas/a9627/machuca/|website=[[Fotogramas]]|date=29 May 2008|first=Nuria|last=Vidal}}</ref> It stars Matías Quer, [[Ariel Mateluna]], [[Manuela Martelli]], and [[Aline Küppenheim]] alongside [[Federico Luppi]].


⚫
Set in [[Santiago]] during the months leading up to the [[1973 Chilean coup d'état|1973 coup d'état]] led by General [[Augusto Pinochet]] – which overthrew [[Salvador Allende]]'s socialist government – the film tells the story of two boys who attend an elite Catholic school: Gonzalo Infante – who belongs to a wealthy family with a European background – and Pedro Machuca – who is poor and comes from an indigenous background.
'''''Machuca''''' is a 2004 [[Chile]]an film written and directed by [[Andrés Wood]].


The film is inspired by and dedicated to Father Gerardo Whelan, [[Congregation of Holy Cross|C.S.C.]] who from 1969 to 1973 was the director of [[Saint George's College, Santiago|Saint George's College]], the private school depicted in the film, which the director himself attended as a boy. ''Machuca'' was filmed in July 2003 and produced on a moderate budget of US$1,700,000.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.imdb.com/reviews/392/39288.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150321170548/http://www.imdb.com/reviews/392/39288.html |archive-date=21 March 2015 |title=Review for Machuca (2004)|website=[[IMDb]] }}</ref> It is a joint Chilean-Spanish-British-French international co-production with support from Ibermedia.<ref>{{Cite journal|url=https://www.redalyc.org/pdf/729/72923937024.pdf|page=301|title=Programa Ibermedia: ¿cine transnacional iberoamericano o relaciones públicas para España|location=San José|publisher=[[University of Costa Rica|Universidad de Costa Rica]]|first=Tamara L.|last=Falicov|journal=Reflexiones|volume=91|issue=1|issn=1021-1209|year=2012}}</ref> Production companies included Andrés Wood Producciones, Tornasol Films, Mamoun Hassan, Paraíso, and Chile Films.<ref name="goodridge" />
⚫
Set in [[Santiago de Chile|Santiago]] during the months leading up to the [[1973 Chilean coup d'état|1973 coup d'état]] led by General [[Augusto Pinochet]] – which overthrew [[Salvador Allende]]'s socialist government – the film tells the story of two boys who attend an upper-class elementary school: Gonzalo Infante – who belongs to a rich family with a European background – and Pedro Machuca – who is poor and comes from an indigenous background. They are classmates and become friends at this English-language Catholic elite school, which Machuca attends thanks to the social integration project developed by its director, Father McEnroe.


⚫
The film premiered in the [[Directors' Fortnight]] parallel section of the [[2004 Cannes Film Festival|57th Cannes Film Festival]] in May 2004.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.cooperativa.cl/noticias/entretencion/cine/festivales-de-cine/machuca-recibio-una-mencion-especial-en-el-festival-de-cine-de-cannes/2004-05-21/181021.html|website=[[Radio Cooperativa|cooperativa.cl]]|title="Machuca" recibió una mención especial en el Festival de Cine de Cannes|date=21 May 2004}}</ref> It was well received in theaters in Chile and a few other countries, but did not have notable box office success outside of Latin America.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?page=intl&id=machuca.htm|title=Machuca (2005) - International Box Office Results - Box Office Mojo|website=boxofficemojo.com}}</ref>
The film is inspired by and dedicated to Father Gerardo Whelan, [[Congregation of Holy Cross|C.S.C.]] who from 1969 to 1973 was the director of Colegio Saint George ([[Saint George's College, Santiago|Saint George's College]]), the private school depicted in the movie, which the director himself attended as a boy.

⚫
''Machuca'' was filmed in July 2003 and produced on a moderate budget of US$1,700,000<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.imdb.com/reviews/392/39288.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150321170548/http://www.imdb.com/reviews/392/39288.html |archive-date=21 March 2015 |title=Review for Machuca (2004)}}</ref> contributed by an international cooperation between Chile and Spain. The film was well received in theaters in Chile and a few other countries, but did not have notable box office success outside of Latin America.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?page=intl&id=machuca.htm|title=Machuca (2005) - International Box Office Results - Box Office Mojo|website=boxofficemojo.com}}</ref>


==Plot==
==Plot==
The story is presented from the perspective of Gonzalo Infante – the 11-year upper-class boy – and it takes place in an agitated time in Chile, when the working class was demanding social vindications and profound changes to the national socioeconomic structure, having elected a Socialist president. In that context, the higher classes grew fearful of the [[Socialist Party of Chile|socialist movement]] and some of its most prominent members comploted against the government of [[Salvador Allende]]. Gonzalo's father, while sympathetic to the less favored and not part of the right-wing movement, wants to leave the country with his family for Italy, where he frequently travels due to his work at the UN [[Food and Agriculture Organization|FAO]]. Gonzalo's mother is rather hopeless with the state of things, and is having an affair with a wealthy and much older [[Argentines|Argentinian]].
The story is told from the viewpoint of Gonzalo Infante, a 12-year-old upper-class boy, and it is set in a turbulent time in Chile. The working class was demanding social justice and significant changes to the country's socioeconomic structure after electing a socialist president. In this context, the wealthy classes became afraid of the socialist movement, and some of its most prominent members conspired against the government of Salvador Allende.


While Gonzalo's father is sympathetic to the less fortunate and not part of the right-wing movement, he wants to take his family to Italy, where he often travels for his work at the [[Food and Agriculture Organization|UN FAO]]. Gonzalo's mother, on the other hand, is resigned to the state of affairs and is having an affair with a wealthy and much older Argentinean.
⚫
Gonzalo attends a private school where the strong-willed school principal, Father McEnroe, has launched a [[social integration]] project, which is deemed by some of the parents as a 'lefty venture' rather than a Christian, charitable work. When five underprivileged students are admitted to Gonzalo's class, he makes friends with Pedro, for he feels compassion for him because some rich classmates pick on him.


⚫
Gonzalo attends a private school where the determined school principal, Father McEnroe, has initiated a [[social integration]] project. However, some of the parents consider it a "leftist venture" instead of a Christian, charitable effort. When five disadvantaged students are admitted to Gonzalo's class, he befriends Pedro because he sympathizes with him after some wealthy classmates bully him.
⚫
Gonzalo accompanies Pedro and his neighbor Silvana to sell flags and cigarettes at demonstrations on the streets: first, nationalist flags at a right-wing demonstration; and later, socialist flags at a leftist rally in support of the government. Silvana calls Gonzalo a snob and names him 'strawberry-face', but eventually they grow fond of each other and even get to kiss.


⚫
Gonzalo joins Pedro and his neighbor Silvana in selling flags and cigarettes during street demonstrations. They first sell nationalist flags at a right-wing protest and later socialist flags at a leftist rally supporting the government. Silvana initially calls Gonzalo a snob and "strawberry-face," but eventually, they develop affection for each other and even share a kiss.
⚫
Pedro visits Gonzalo's home and is impressed by Gonzalo having a room for himself, with toys and a closet full of clothing, but also witnesses the tensions and cruelty latent in Gonzalo's family. When Gonzalo visits the shantytown dwelling of Pedro, he is appalled by the extremely poor conditions he lives in. Their friendship mirrors the friendship between the [[Lone Ranger]] and the Native American Tonto in Gonzalo's favorite comic-book series. Gonzalo becomes aware that their friendship is against all odds when Silvana finds them reading an issue of the magazine and comments on the plot being implausible because "Has a white person ever been seen to be friends with an Indian?"


⚫
Pedro visits Gonzalo's home and is amazed by the fact that Gonzalo has a room to himself, filled with toys and a closet full of clothes. However, he also witnesses the tension and cruelty that exists within Gonzalo's family. When Gonzalo visits Pedro's shantytown dwelling, he is horrified by the extremely poor living conditions. Their friendship mirrors that of the [[Lone Ranger]] and Native American [[Tonto]] from Gonzalo's favorite comic book series. Gonzalo realizes that their friendship is against all odds when Silvana discovers them reading an issue of the magazine and comments on the implausibility of a white person being friends with an Indian.
⚫
As the political unrest grows in Chile, the boys' friendship is put to the test. Pedro's drunk father taunts him, telling him that, while his alleged friend will grow up to be rich, he will be stuck in the lower class for good, most likely cleaning toilets for the rich. The wealthy parents of the students at St. Patrick's school have divided opinions on Father McEnroe's project. While some support Father McEnroe's new policies — Gonzalo's father among them — many others — including Gonzalo's mother — think that, for the country's sake, social classes are better off not mixed.


⚫
As the political unrest in Chile escalates, the boys' friendship is put to the test. Pedro's alcoholic father ridicules him, telling him that while his supposed friend will grow up to be wealthy, he will be stuck in the lower class, likely cleaning toilets for the rich. The affluent parents of the students at St. Patrick's school have differing views on Father McEnroe's project. While some support the new policies, including Gonzalo's father, many others, including Gonzalo's mother, believe that for the good of the country, social classes should not be mixed.
⚫
The vegetable garden that the students take care of at school turns out to be a failure, which jeopardizes the financing of Father McEnroe's project. At an [[Anti-communism|anti-Communist]] demonstration, Gonzalo's mother snatches Silvana's merchandise when the latter is being threatened by other protesters, so Silvana retaliates spitting on Gonzalo's mother's car windshield and calls her a whore. This increases the tension between Gonzalo and Pedro, which leads them to get into a fight and be driven apart.


⚫
The school's vegetable garden, which the students take care of, turns out to be a failure, jeopardizing the funding for Father McEnroe's project. During an [[Anti-communism|anti-Communist]] protest, Gonzalo's mother takes Silvana's merchandise when the latter is being threatened by other protesters. Silvana retaliates by spitting on Gonzalo's mother's car windshield and calling her a whore. This increases tension between Gonzalo and Pedro, leading to a fight and the end of their friendship.
⚫
Then comes the [[1973 Chilean coup d'état|coup]] and Father McEnroe is removed by the military, not even being allowed to perform mass at the school's chapel. So, when he attends the first mass performed by a new priest, he receives communion but does not swallow the [[sacramental bread]] to preserve it from [[Host desecration|desecration]], and declares the place profane. Pedro leads the other students in honoring the priest and therefore is expelled from the school.


⚫
Following the coup, Father McEnroe is removed from the school by the military and is not even allowed to perform mass at the chapel. When he attends the first mass performed by a new priest, he receives communion but does not swallow the sacramental bread to preserve it from desecration and declares the place profane. Pedro leads the other students in honoring the priest, resulting in his expulsion from the school.
⚫
Gonzalo goes to visit the shantytown where Pedro and Silvana live but he arrives there only to see it being raid by soldiers, and he witnesses an unfortunate incident between the dwellers and the military that ends up with one of the later shooting Silvana, who dies right there. Spotted by a soldier and finding himself dragged into the incident, Gonzalo struggles to convince the soldier that he does not belong there, until he shows him his nice clothing and fair complexion. The soldier lets him go and warns him never to return, so Gonzalo is forced by the circumstances to forsake his friend.


⚫
Gonzalo visits the shantytown where Pedro and Silvana live, but upon arrival, he witnesses soldiers raiding the area and a tragic incident unfolds, resulting in Silvana being shot and killed. Gonzalo finds himself dragged into the chaos and struggles to convince a soldier that he does not belong there until he shows them his nice clothing and fair complexion. Eventually, the soldier lets him go, warning him never to return.
Gonzalo returns to his family's new home – which is now even more opulent than before thanks to his mother's lover and the redistribution of wealth the new government has imposed – and is left distraught over the events he has just witnessed, remembering the last time he saw Pedro, staring at the ruins of their dwellings.

Heartbroken over the events he witnessed and the loss of his friend, Gonzalo returns to his family's new home. Their wealth has increased thanks to his mother's lover and the new government's [[redistribution of wealth]]. However, Gonzalo is left devastated, recalling the last time he saw Pedro staring at the ruins of their homes.


==Cast==
==Cast==
[[Image:Ceremonia de Clausura (4790755070).jpg|[[Andrés Wood]], [[Aline Kuppenheim]], [[Manuela Martelli]] and Matías Quer at the [[Viña del Mar International Film Festival]] 2004|thumb|right]]
[[Image:Ceremonia de Clausura (4790755070).jpg|[[Andrés Wood]], [[Aline Kuppenheim]], [[Manuela Martelli]] and Matías Quer at the [[Viña del Mar International Film Festival]] 2004|thumb|right]]
{{Cast listing|
* [[Matías Quer]] as Gonzalo Infante
* [[Matías Quer]] as Gonzalo Infante
* [[Ariel Mateluna]] as Pedro Machuca
* [[Ariel Mateluna]] as Pedro Machuca
Line 58: Line 60:
* [[Ernesto Malbran]] as Father McEnroe
* [[Ernesto Malbran]] as Father McEnroe
* [[Aline Küppenheim]] as María Luisa Infante, Gonzalo's mother
* [[Aline Küppenheim]] as María Luisa Infante, Gonzalo's mother
* [[Francisco Reyes Morandé|Francisco Reyes]] as Patricio Infante
* [[Francisco Reyes Morandé|Francisco Reyes]] as Patricio Infante, Gonzalo's father
* [[Federico Luppi]] as Roberto Ochagavía, María Luisa Infante's affair
* [[Federico Luppi]] as Roberto Ochagavía, María Luisa Infante's affair
* [[Luis Dubó]] as Ismael Machuca, father of Pedro
* [[Luis Dubó]] as Ismael Machuca, Pedro's father
* [[Tamara Acosta]] as Juana María, mother of Pedro
* [[Tamara Acosta]] as Juana María, Pedro's mother
* [[Alejandro Trejo]] as Guillermo "Willy", father of Silvana
* [[Alejandro Trejo]] as Guillermo "Willy", Silvana's father
* [[Andrea García-Huidobro]] as Isabel Infante, Gonzalo's sister
* [[Andrea García-Huidobro]] as Isabel Infante, Gonzalo's sister
* [[Tiago Correa]] as Pablo, Isabel's boyfriend
* [[Tiago Correa]] as Pablo, Isabel's boyfriend
* Gabriela Medina as Lucy
* [[Gabriela Medina]] as Lucy
* [[María Olga Matte]] as Miss Gilda
* [[María Olga Matte]] as Miss Gilda
* [[Pablo Krögh]] as Coronel Sotomayor
* [[Pablo Krögh]] as Coronel Sotomayor
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* [[Francisca Imboden]] as María Ignacia
* [[Francisca Imboden]] as María Ignacia
* [[Carolina Sotomayor]] as Josefina
* [[Carolina Sotomayor]] as Josefina
}}

== Reception ==
[[Ann Hornaday]] of ''[[The Washington Post]]'' deemed the film to be "that rare film that merges the personal and political without sacrificing restraint or intellectual honesty".<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/2005/11/18/machuca-coming-of-age-amid-the-chaos/eb66488f-7820-41e1-9d84-a88dec543269/|author-link=Ann Hornaday|first=Ann|last=Hornaday|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|date=18 November 2005|title='Machuca': Coming of Age Amid the Chaos}}</ref>

Mike Goodridge of ''[[ScreenDaily]]'' described the film as a "small, artfully crafted movie", otherwise deeming it to be an "unsettling piece" which [unlike other films with similar themes] "doesn't fall into easy traps of sentimentalism".<ref name="goodridge">{{Cite web|url=https://www.screendaily.com/machuca/4021111.article|first=Mike|last=Goodridge|date=29 November 2014|title=Machuca|website=[[ScreenDaily]]}}</ref>


== Accolades ==
==Awards and nominations==
{{Awards table|5}}
⚫
This film was nominated for the [[Ariel Award in 2005]] in the category ''Best Iberoamerican Film''. It won Most Popular International Film at the 2004 [[Vancouver International Film Festival]].<ref>{{cite press release |title = 23rd Vancouver International Film Festival Breaks Records |url = http://www.viff.org/viff04/e_media/releases04/FinalRelease.pdf |publisher = [[Vancouver International Film Festival]] |date = 13 October 2004 |accessdate = 28 June 2013 |archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20080227165037/http://www.viff.org/viff04/e_media/releases04/FinalRelease.pdf |archivedate = 27 February 2008 }}</ref>
|-
⚫
| align = "center" | 2004 || [[Vancouver International Film Festival]] || colspan = "2" | Most Popular International Film || {{won}} || align = "center" | <ref>{{cite press release |title = 23rd Vancouver International Film Festival Breaks Records |url = http://www.viff.org/viff04/e_media/releases04/FinalRelease.pdf |publisher = [[Vancouver International Film Festival]] |date = 13 October 2004 |accessdate = 28 June 2013 |archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20080227165037/http://www.viff.org/viff04/e_media/releases04/FinalRelease.pdf |archivedate = 27 February 2008 }}</ref>
|-
| align = "center" | 2004 || [[Film Fest Gent]] || colspan = "2" | Georges Delerue Award for Best Soundtrack/Sound Design || {{won}} ||
|-
| rowspan = "2" align = "center" | 2005 || {{Sort|Goya 19|[[19th Goya Awards]]}} || colspan = "2" | [[Goya Award for Best Ibero-American Film|Best Spanish-Language Foreign Film]] || {{nom}} || align = "center" | <ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.premiosgoya.com/pelicula/machuca|website=[[Goya Awards|premiosgoya.com]]|publisher=[[Academia de las Artes y las Ciencias Cinematográficas de España]]|title=Machuca|access-date=29 November 2022}}</ref>
|-
| {{Sort|Ariel 47|[[47th Ariel Awards]]}} || colspan = "2" | [[Ariel Award for Best Ibero-American Film|Best Ibero-American Film]] || {{nom}} || align = "center" | <ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.cooperativa.cl/noticias/entretencion/cine/cine-chileno/machuca-competira-por-ser-la-mejor-pelicula-iberoamericana/2005-03-02/122444.html|website=[[Radio Cooperativa|cooperativa.cl]]|title="Machuca" competirá por ser la Mejor Película Iberoamericana|date=2 March 2005}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.eluniverso.com/2005/03/31/0001/260/E1CF177797B74F36B569EBB3E7E89AD0.html/|website=[[El Universo]]|date=31 March 2005|title=El Ariel a lo mejor del cine mexicano}}</ref>
|}


==See also==
==See also==
* [[Cinema of Chile]]
* [[Cinema of Chile]]
* [[List of Spanish films of 2004]]


==References==
==References==
Line 86: Line 104:
* {{IMDb title|id=0378284|title=Machuca}}
* {{IMDb title|id=0378284|title=Machuca}}
* [http://www.woodproducciones.com/en/film/machuca/index.html Machuca in Wood Producciones]
* [http://www.woodproducciones.com/en/film/machuca/index.html Machuca in Wood Producciones]
* [https://articles.latimes.com/2005/apr/29/entertainment/et-machuca29 Kenneth Turan 2005. Youthful innocence sacrificed on the altar of politics]
* [https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2005-apr-29-et-machuca29-story.html Kenneth Turan 2005. Youthful innocence sacrificed on the altar of politics]
* [http://www.offoffoff.com/film/2005/machuca.php Machuca in the Philadelphia Film Festival]
* [http://www.offoffoff.com/film/2005/machuca.php Machuca in the Philadelphia Film Festival]
* [https://archive.today/20130414232012/http://www.georgiabulletin.org/world/2005/11/22/US-5/?s=Machuca "Chilean movie recalls U.S. priest's presence amid turbulence of coup"] 22 November 2005, www.georgiabulletin.org
* [https://archive.today/20130414232012/http://www.georgiabulletin.org/world/2005/11/22/US-5/?s=Machuca "Chilean movie recalls U.S. priest's presence amid turbulence of coup"] 22 November 2005, www.georgiabulletin.org


{{Chilean submission for Academy Awards}}
{{Chilean submission for Academy Awards}}
{{Chilean submission for Goya Awards}}
{{Authority control}}
{{Authority control}}


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[[Category:Films about the Chilean military dictatorship]]
[[Category:Films about the Chilean military dictatorship]]
[[Category:Films directed by Andrés Wood]]
[[Category:Films directed by Andrés Wood]]
[[Category:Chilean drama films]]
[[Category:Chilean coming-of-age drama films]]
[[Category:Chilean historical films]]
[[Category:Spanish coming-of-age drama films]]
[[Category:British coming-of-age drama films]]
[[Category:French coming-of-age drama films]]
[[Category:2000s Spanish films]]
[[Category:2000s British films]]
[[Category:2000s French films]]
[[Category:2000s Chilean films]]
[[Category:2000s coming-of-age drama films]]
[[Category:2000s coming-of-age drama films]]
[[Category:Films set in Chile]]
[[Category:Films set in Chile]]
Line 104: Line 131:
[[Category:2004 drama films]]
[[Category:2004 drama films]]
[[Category:Films about coups d'état]]
[[Category:Films about coups d'état]]
[[Category:Tornasol Films films]]

Latest revision as of 01:51, 7 November 2024

For the surname, see Machuca (surname).

Machuca
Chilean theatrical release poster
Directed byAndrés Wood
Written byRoberto Brodsky
Mamoun Hassan
Andrés Wood
Eliseo Altunaga (consultant)
Produced byAndrés Wood
Mamoun Hassan
Gerardo Herrero
Starring
CinematographyMiguel Ioann Littin Menz
Edited byFernando Pardo
Soledad Salfate
Music byMiguel Miranda
José Miguel Tobar
Production
companies
  • Andrés Wood Producciones
  • Tornasol Films
  • Chile Films
  • Mamoun Hassan
  • Paraíso
Distributed byMenemsha Entertainment
Release dates
  • 21 May 2004 (2004-05-21) (Cannes)
  • 11 June 2004 (2004-06-11) (Spain)
  • 5 August 2004 (2004-08-05) (Chile)
Running time
121 minutes
Countries
  • Chile
  • Spain
  • United Kingdom
  • France
LanguageSpanish
Box office$3,187,700 (worldwide)[1]

Machuca is a 2004 internationally co-produced coming-of-age drama film co-written and directed by Andrés Wood.[2] It stars Matías Quer, Ariel Mateluna, Manuela Martelli, and Aline Küppenheim alongside Federico Luppi.

Set in Santiago during the months leading up to the 1973 coup d'état led by General Augusto Pinochet – which overthrew Salvador Allende's socialist government – the film tells the story of two boys who attend an elite Catholic school: Gonzalo Infante – who belongs to a wealthy family with a European background – and Pedro Machuca – who is poor and comes from an indigenous background.

The film is inspired by and dedicated to Father Gerardo Whelan, C.S.C. who from 1969 to 1973 was the director of Saint George's College, the private school depicted in the film, which the director himself attended as a boy. Machuca was filmed in July 2003 and produced on a moderate budget of US$1,700,000.[3] It is a joint Chilean-Spanish-British-French international co-production with support from Ibermedia.[4] Production companies included Andrés Wood Producciones, Tornasol Films, Mamoun Hassan, Paraíso, and Chile Films.[5]

The film premiered in the Directors' Fortnight parallel section of the 57th Cannes Film Festival in May 2004.[6] It was well received in theaters in Chile and a few other countries, but did not have notable box office success outside of Latin America.[7]

Plot

[edit]

The story is told from the viewpoint of Gonzalo Infante, a 12-year-old upper-class boy, and it is set in a turbulent time in Chile. The working class was demanding social justice and significant changes to the country's socioeconomic structure after electing a socialist president. In this context, the wealthy classes became afraid of the socialist movement, and some of its most prominent members conspired against the government of Salvador Allende.

While Gonzalo's father is sympathetic to the less fortunate and not part of the right-wing movement, he wants to take his family to Italy, where he often travels for his work at the UN FAO. Gonzalo's mother, on the other hand, is resigned to the state of affairs and is having an affair with a wealthy and much older Argentinean.

Gonzalo attends a private school where the determined school principal, Father McEnroe, has initiated a social integration project. However, some of the parents consider it a "leftist venture" instead of a Christian, charitable effort. When five disadvantaged students are admitted to Gonzalo's class, he befriends Pedro because he sympathizes with him after some wealthy classmates bully him.

Gonzalo joins Pedro and his neighbor Silvana in selling flags and cigarettes during street demonstrations. They first sell nationalist flags at a right-wing protest and later socialist flags at a leftist rally supporting the government. Silvana initially calls Gonzalo a snob and "strawberry-face," but eventually, they develop affection for each other and even share a kiss.

Pedro visits Gonzalo's home and is amazed by the fact that Gonzalo has a room to himself, filled with toys and a closet full of clothes. However, he also witnesses the tension and cruelty that exists within Gonzalo's family. When Gonzalo visits Pedro's shantytown dwelling, he is horrified by the extremely poor living conditions. Their friendship mirrors that of the Lone Ranger and Native American Tonto from Gonzalo's favorite comic book series. Gonzalo realizes that their friendship is against all odds when Silvana discovers them reading an issue of the magazine and comments on the implausibility of a white person being friends with an Indian.

As the political unrest in Chile escalates, the boys' friendship is put to the test. Pedro's alcoholic father ridicules him, telling him that while his supposed friend will grow up to be wealthy, he will be stuck in the lower class, likely cleaning toilets for the rich. The affluent parents of the students at St. Patrick's school have differing views on Father McEnroe's project. While some support the new policies, including Gonzalo's father, many others, including Gonzalo's mother, believe that for the good of the country, social classes should not be mixed.

The school's vegetable garden, which the students take care of, turns out to be a failure, jeopardizing the funding for Father McEnroe's project. During an anti-Communist protest, Gonzalo's mother takes Silvana's merchandise when the latter is being threatened by other protesters. Silvana retaliates by spitting on Gonzalo's mother's car windshield and calling her a whore. This increases tension between Gonzalo and Pedro, leading to a fight and the end of their friendship.

Following the coup, Father McEnroe is removed from the school by the military and is not even allowed to perform mass at the chapel. When he attends the first mass performed by a new priest, he receives communion but does not swallow the sacramental bread to preserve it from desecration and declares the place profane. Pedro leads the other students in honoring the priest, resulting in his expulsion from the school.

Gonzalo visits the shantytown where Pedro and Silvana live, but upon arrival, he witnesses soldiers raiding the area and a tragic incident unfolds, resulting in Silvana being shot and killed. Gonzalo finds himself dragged into the chaos and struggles to convince a soldier that he does not belong there until he shows them his nice clothing and fair complexion. Eventually, the soldier lets him go, warning him never to return.

Heartbroken over the events he witnessed and the loss of his friend, Gonzalo returns to his family's new home. Their wealth has increased thanks to his mother's lover and the new government's redistribution of wealth. However, Gonzalo is left devastated, recalling the last time he saw Pedro staring at the ruins of their homes.

Cast

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Andrés Wood, Aline Kuppenheim, Manuela Martelli and Matías Quer at the Viña del Mar International Film Festival 2004

Reception

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Ann Hornaday of The Washington Post deemed the film to be "that rare film that merges the personal and political without sacrificing restraint or intellectual honesty".[8]

Mike Goodridge of ScreenDaily described the film as a "small, artfully crafted movie", otherwise deeming it to be an "unsettling piece" which [unlike other films with similar themes] "doesn't fall into easy traps of sentimentalism".[5]

Accolades

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Year Award Category Nominee(s) Result Ref.
2004 Vancouver International Film Festival Most Popular International Film Won [9]
2004 Film Fest Gent Georges Delerue Award for Best Soundtrack/Sound Design Won
2005 19th Goya Awards Best Spanish-Language Foreign Film Nominated [10]
47th Ariel Awards Best Ibero-American Film Nominated [11][12]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Machuca (2005)". Box Office Mojo. 10 February 2005. Retrieved 17 August 2017.
  2. ^ Vidal, Nuria (29 May 2008). "Machuca". Fotogramas.
  3. ^ "Review for Machuca (2004)". IMDb. Archived from the original on 21 March 2015.
  4. ^ Falicov, Tamara L. (2012). "Programa Ibermedia: ¿cine transnacional iberoamericano o relaciones públicas para España" (PDF). Reflexiones. 91 (1). San José: Universidad de Costa Rica: 301. ISSN 1021-1209.
  5. ^ a b Goodridge, Mike (29 November 2014). "Machuca". ScreenDaily.
  6. ^ ""Machuca" recibió una mención especial en el Festival de Cine de Cannes". cooperativa.cl. 21 May 2004.
  7. ^ "Machuca (2005) - International Box Office Results - Box Office Mojo". boxofficemojo.com.
  8. ^ Hornaday, Ann (18 November 2005). "'Machuca': Coming of Age Amid the Chaos". The Washington Post.
  9. ^ "23rd Vancouver International Film Festival Breaks Records" (PDF) (Press release). Vancouver International Film Festival. 13 October 2004. Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 February 2008. Retrieved 28 June 2013.
  10. ^ "Machuca". premiosgoya.com. Academia de las Artes y las Ciencias Cinematográficas de España. Retrieved 29 November 2022.
  11. ^ ""Machuca" competirá por ser la Mejor Película Iberoamericana". cooperativa.cl. 2 March 2005.
  12. ^ "El Ariel a lo mejor del cine mexicano". El Universo. 31 March 2005.
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