Machuca (2004)

Two 12-year-old Chilean children from different social classes become friends in 1973. They both discover each other's world as political tensions in their country increase.

Director:

Andrés Wood

Writers:

Eliseo Altunaga, Roberto Brodsky

Stars:

Matías Quer, Ariel Mateluna, Manuela Martelli

12 wins & 6 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Matías Quer	...	Gonzalo Infante
Ariel Mateluna	...	Pedro Machuca
Manuela Martelli	...	Silvana
Aline Küppenheim	...	María Luisa Infante (as Aline Kuppenheim)
Ernesto Malbran	...	Father McEnroe
Tamara Acosta	...	Juana
Francisco Reyes	...	Patricio Infante
Alejandro Trejo	...	Willy
Maria Olga Matte	...	Miss Gilda
Gabriela Medina	...	Lucy
Luis Dubó	...	Ismael Machuca
Andrea García-Huidobro	...	Isabel
Tiago Correa	...	Pablo
Pablo Krögh	...	Colonel Sotomayor
Federico Luppi	...	Roberto Ochagavía

Storyline

Santiago, capital of Chile during the Marxist government of elected, highly controversial president Salvador Allende. Father McEnroe supports his leftist views by introducing a program at the prestigious "collegio" (Catholic prep school) St. Patrick to allow free admission of some proletarian kids. One of them is Pedro Machuca, slum-raised son of the cleaning lady in Gonzalo Infante's liberal-bourgeois home. Yet the new classmates become buddies, paradoxically protesting together as Gonzalo gets adopted by Pedro's slum family and gang. But the adults spoil that too, not in the least when general Pinochet's coup ousts Allende, and supporters such as McEnroe.

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Plot Keywords:

chile | student | friend | classmate | historical event | 

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Genres:

Biography | Drama | History

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Did You Know?

Trivia

As stated by the director in several interviews, the movie was shot only on Sundays, due to its small budget.

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Goofs

Silvana is standing by the outhouse, then moments later, after camera pans, appears on the other side of Gonzalo.

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Quotes

Father McEnroe: [Speaking to one of the students] Is it all about you? What about the others?

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Crazy Credits

In the credits at the beginning of the film, the last letter of each word drifts slowly to the right separating from the names

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Connections

References The Lone Ranger (1956)

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Soundtracks

Adios, chico de mi barrio
Written and performed by Tormenta

User Reviews

point of view of a 26 year old Chilean American

Although i was not old enough to live through these events, its repercussions are still felt today. Its interesting to see this movie in the theater and hear older people in the audience booing and cheering at the different scenes and historical characters in the movie, meaning that it accurately depicts the events. The movie is excellent in the way it portrays the everyday life experienced back in those days. The movie is apolitical in the way the main characters are children, so the focus is everyday life more than taking an actual view. The great special effects used, increase the realism and makes the movie so much better, and you don't even notice they are being used.

I recommend this movie 100% both to Chileans, and foreigners that want a glimpse on the life of the upper/middle classes in Chile back in 1973.

Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

Chile Spain UK France

Language:

Spanish English

Release Date:

11 June 2004 (Spain)

Also Known As:

Machuca

Filming Locations:

Santiago, Chile

Box Office

Budget:

$1,500,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$4,635, 23 January 2005

Gross USA:

$26,676

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$3,187,700

Company Credits

Production Co:

Wood Producciones, Tornasol Films, Mamoun Hassan Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

116 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1