Altiplano (2009)

A former war photographer and her physician husband are caught up in a riot when locals in an Andean village vent their unhappiness with contamination from a nearby mine.

Directors:

Peter Brosens, Jessica Woodworth

Writers:

Peter Brosens, Jessica Woodworth

Stars:

Magaly Solier, Jasmin Tabatabai, Olivier Gourmet

4 wins & 1 nomination.

Cast

Credited cast:
Magaly Solier	...	Saturnina
Jasmin Tabatabai	...	Grace
Olivier Gourmet	...	Max
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Arturo Anacarino Zarate	...	Orlando
Malku Choquehuillca	...	Malku
Edgar Condori	...	Nilo / Omar (as Edgar Alcides Condori)
Behi Djanati Atai	...	Sami
Kian Khalili	...	Reza
Sonia Loaiza	...	Luz
Hermelinda Luján	...	Rufina
Norma Martínez	...	Mercedes
Andreas Pietschmann	...	Paul
Antonio Quevedo	...	Un soldat (as Marco Antonio Quevedo)
Edgar Quispe	...	Ignacio
Rodolfo Rodríguez	...	Raúl

Storyline

War photographer Grace, devastated after a violent incident in Iraq, renounces her profession. Her Belgian husband, Max, is a cataract surgeon working at an eye clinic in the high Andes of Peru. Nearby, the villagers of Turubamba succumb to illnesses caused by a mercury spill from a local mine. Saturnina, a young woman in Turubamba, loses her fiancé to the contamination. Ignorant of its true source, the villagers turn their rage on the foreign doctors, and in the ensuing riot Max is killed. Grace sets out on a journey of mourning to the place of Max's death. Saturnina takes drastic measures to protest against the endless violations towards her people and her land. Grace and Saturnina's destinies merge. ALTIPLANO is a lyrical and probing film about our divided but inextricably linked world.

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Plot Keywords:

one word title

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Taglines:

A lyrical tragedy about sacrifice and redemption in the Andes.

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Genres:

Drama

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Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

Belgium Germany Netherlands

Language:

Spanish Quechua French English Persian

Release Date:

20 August 2010 (USA)

Also Known As:

Fragments of Grace

Filming Locations:

Abbaye, Villers-le-Ville, Brabant Wallon, Belgium

Box Office

Opening Weekend:

$1,269 (USA) (20 August 2010)

Gross:

$2,754 (USA) (2 October 2010)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Ma.Ja.De Filmproduktion, Bo Films, CFWB

Technical Specs

Runtime:

109 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Black and White Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Award: Grand Prix du 30ème Festival du Cinéma Européen de Virton 2009 (Belgium).

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Soundtracks

"Fire of the Dove/Epilogue"
Composed by Richard Einhorn

User Reviews

Impressive

There are films that, not being perfect, have some exceptional moments of cinematic wonder. Altiplano is one of those films. First of all, it's not for everyone. The film is actually a quite complex mix between fiction and documentary, which should't be a surprise considering it's the second feature film from Brosens and Woodworth, creators of Khadak, a film that also lies in this intriguing conception of cinema. But, unlike Khadak, Altiplano has a very strong and story oriented narrative, which is extremely good, since the constant allegorical images that the movie possesses are much more well timed and effective than in Khadak. Apart from the style issues, the movie is a intense journey in the fight between modernism and tradition, nature and city. I don't want to give away anything, because seeing this filme without any kind of expectations (storywise, that is) is the best way to enjoy it. Visually stunning, with a exceptional soundtrack, Altiplano is, despite his flaws, a movie that should be watched for anyone that likes cinema or, at least, original cinema. If you belong to that group, go see it. Don't expect action packed sequences, or determined heroes overcoming evil. Altiplano is about life. Slow, real, and unforgiving.A really good film with some brilliant moments. If you like cinema, take a chance on this one. It's worth it.