Machuca

The film is set in Santiago, Chile around the time of the coup of 1973. This brittle and violent political backdrop is show through the eyes of Gonzalo (Matias Quer), a young boy belonging to the upper echelon of Chilean society, studying in a Catholic school. He forms a tenuous friendship with Pedro (Ariel Mateluna) who comes from slums of Santiago. The movie is about their friendship and how the socio-political struggle stretches it very thin.

Apparently from a bit of reading it seems that film has faithfully recreated Santiago during that period. Right from the clothes to the car license plates. The school where the boy's study is based on St. George's Catholic school in Santiago and the director Andres Wood is an alumni. Father McEnroe in the film is based on Father Gerard Whelan who ran the school during the same period.

But it is Silvana (Manuela Martelli) who steals the show. She plays the role of a young spitfire with a poignant sense of urgency.

Rating: * * +