El Amparo
(El amparo)
Rober Calzadilla | Drama, Fiction, Thriller
2016 | 99 minutes | Colombia, Venezuela
In the Venezuelan town of El Amparo, near the border with Colombia, a group of fishermen sets off down the Aruca River. But only two men return, their friends shot down by the military, who claim they were clandestine guerrillas on a mission.
Synopsis
In the Venezuelan town of El Amparo, near the border with Colombia, a group of fishermen sets off down the Aruca River. But only two men return, their friends shot down by the military, who claim they were clandestine guerrillas on a mission. The army soon arrives to claim the two survivors, held in the local jail, but they encounter an honorable policeman and fiercely loyal population who will do anything to protect the truth as the pressures to stick to the official story become overwhelming. Based on the true story of a 1988 massacre, this feature debut of filmmaker Rober Calzadilla is a searing drama, now more timely than ever. - AFI Latin American Festival
Reviews
"I recommend this film to anyone interested in Latin American history, military atrocities, and political cover-ups." — Elena Landry, George Mason Libraries, EMRO
"This is the kind of story of injustice that always needs telling." — Jonathan Holland, The Hollywood Reporter
"An earthily told tale of injustice about a 30-year-old tragedy that decimated a Venezuelan pueblo, Roberto Calzadilla's debut feature, clearly the product of years of reflection on the subject, is a taut drama that smartly and wisely sidesteps the potential pitfalls of historical recreation. In short, it feels compellingly true." — Jonathan Holland, The Hollywood Reporter
Citation
Main credits
Calzadilla, R. (Rober) (film director)
García, Giovanny (actor)
Peña, Vicente (actor)
Quintero, Vicente (actor)
Valecillos, Karin (screenwriter)
Illias, Marianela (film producer)
Other credits
Cinematography, Michell Rivas; editor, Gustavo Rondón Córdova; music, Andrés Levell.
Citation
Cataloging
Pragda subjects
Criminal Justice
Economics + Social Class Issues
Fascism + Repression
Geography
Human Rights
International Relations
Latin American Studies
Political Science
Sociology
South America
Keywords
Clips
Festivals
Biarritz Film Festival - Audience Award
São Paulo Cinema Showcase - Jury Award, Best Screenplay
San Sebastián Film Festival
AFI Latin American Film Festival
Miami Film Festival
Havana Film Festival
DIRECTOR: Rober Calzadilla
NATIONALITY: Colombia, Venezuela
YEAR: 2016
GENRE: Drama, Fiction, Thriller
LANGUAGE: Spanish
COLOR / B&W: Color
GRADE LEVEL: High School, College, Adults
SUBTITLE/CC: AVAILABLE
AUDIO DESCRIPTION: NOT AVAILABLE
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