Spanish with English subtitles - Spanish language audio description available *
With Matías Quer, Ariel Mateluna, Manuela Martelli
ACADEMY AWARD? CHILE'S SUBMISSION FOR BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
SECTION MODERN CLASSICS
The story takes place in Santiago in 1973 in the days leading up to the military coup and is based onnt carried out during the socialist government of Salvador Allende at Saint George's College (Saint Patrick' a real experiments College in the film). The college scenes were shot at the East Campus of the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile and at the Barros Arana National Boarding School.
Gonzalo Infante (Matías Quer), an eleven-year-old boy, studies at Saint Patrick's, a reputable religious school whose students come from the upper middle class of Santiago.
The headmaster, Father McEnroe (inspired by the rector of Saint George Gerardo Whelan and played by Ernesto Malbrún), brings a new group of children to the establishment, all of them from the popular class, in order to educate them without discrimination, in an attempt to promote mutual respect among students from different social classes. Among this group is Pedro Machuca (Ariel Mateluna). After some conflicts between the new classmates, Gonzalo and Machuca form friendships. Both children visit each other's homes on different occasions and get to know their families and the internal realities they both live. At Pedro's house, Gonzalo meets and falls in love with Silvana, a teenage girl neighboring Pedro.
However, the political climate of the time progressively deteriorates their friendship. The coup d'é·tat of September 11, 1973, led by General Augusto Pinochet to overthrow the Popular Unity government of Salvador Allende, suddenly interrupts the relationship of these three friends. The direction of Saint Patrick passes into the hands of the Chilean Army, with the consequent dismissal of Father McEnroe, the expulsion of several students and the militarization of the school.
* Spanish language audio description available via ALL4ACCESS App and/or .wav file when purchasing a DSL license.
Accessibility for these films was created by DICAPTA and funded under a grant from the U.S. Department of Education- Office of Special Education-OSEP, project "Enhanced Access to Video for Students with Sensory Disabilities through Emerging Technology," TV Access H327C210001.
Synopsis taken from the Pragda Spanish FIlm Club site
ACADEMY AWARD - Subvención chilena a la mejor película en idioma extranjero.
Sección Clásicos Modernos.
La historia se desarrolla en Santiago en 1973, en los días previos al golpe militar, y está basada en un experimento real realizado durante el gobierno socialista de Salvador Allende en el Saint George's College (Saint Patrick's College en la película). Las escenas universitarias se rodaron en el Campus Oriente de la Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile y en el Internado Nacional Barros Arana.
Gonzalo Infante (Matías Quer), un niño de once años, estudia en el Saint Patrick's, un reputado colegio religioso cuyos alumnos proceden de la clase media alta de Santiago. Ignacio, es el encargado de dirigir el colegio.
El director, el padre McEnroe (inspirado en el rector del Saint George, Gerardo Whelan, y interpretado por Ernesto Malbrán), trae al establecimiento a un nuevo grupo de niños, todos de clase popular, para educarlos sin discriminación, en un intento por promover el respeto mutuo entre alumnos de distintas clases sociales. Entre este grupo se encuentra Pedro Machuca (Ariel Mateluna). Tras algunos conflictos entre los nuevos compañeros, nace una amistad entre Gonzalo y Machuca. Ambos niños visitan la casa del otro en distintas ocasiones y van conociendo a sus familias y las realidades internas que ambos viven. En la casa de Pedro, Gonzalo conoce y se enamora de Silvana, una adolescente vecina de Pedro. Por otra parte, en la casa de Pedro, Gonzalo conoce y se enamora de Silvana, una adolescente vecina de Pedro.
Sin embargo, el clima político de la época deteriora progresivamente su amistad. El golpe de Estado del 11 de septiembre de 1973, encabezado por el general Augusto Pinochet para derrocar al gobierno de la Unidad Popular de Salvador Allende.
