Released to widespread acclaim and controversy in Latin America, Machuca explores Chile's bloody 1973 coup through the astonishingly intimate coming-of-age story of a pair of 12-year-old boys. From opposite extremes of society, Gonzalo (Matias Quer) and Pedro (Ariel Mateluna) form an unlikely friendship as politics rip their world apart. Director and co-writer Andres Wood, himself eight when Pinochet seized power, resurrects searing images of life - and loss of innocence - amidst a crumbling democracy. "Children experience events, but they do not judge," says Wood. "They simply live, and bear witness."
Cinematographer Miguel Joan Littin's arresting visuals are accompanied by a lively, evocative soundtrack, adding further vibrancy to this unforgettable film.
