Last Wednesday's screening was great. But I must confess, from the beginning of the film I was struggling to keep the water inside my eyes from trickling down my cheeks.
My experience from living in NZ is that people here have a constant feel (even though they try to hide it) of superiority towards people from the developing world. I would go as far as saying that this would be the main reason why NZ wants to remain recognised as a western nation as opposed to a pacific one. "We, the western world have got it right, therefore we must guide you". This feeling I have has been reinforced after I worked for an NGO who's got strict guidelines about the images it wants associated with them. For instance, the film I've made for them won't be promoted because it does not fit into the structure that exploits non-western people's misery. I, jokingly said to my colleague, our film would have been seen by thousands if we showed an African boy, with no shoes and clothing, running around the dessert looking for a drink of water.
El Camino de San Diego deeply shows the adversities which the people of El Dorado have to struggles with on a daily basis, but Dir. Sorin never takes away their dignity and that is why I think this film is so good. It tells the moving story of man's treasure and his enduring journey towards a selfless deed. Our hero (Tati Benitez) will give away his most precious possession to his idol (Diego Armando Maradona) and wont even seek recognition.
And as we follow Tati on his trip to Buenos Aires we subtly learn about Argentina and its economic flaws. For instance, 150,000 Brazilian chickens are entering Argentina by truck; clashing, on a road block, with the local producers. And who wins? The huge Lula-look-alike, Brazilian truck driver.
Anyway, those tears I had at the beginning of the film remained locked inside my eyes, El Camino de San Diego is too funny for anyone to cry. And it subliminally shows what are the treasures that are hidden in the legendary town of El Dorado: its people.
El signatario:
Julio Marx Panoff
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
I think you have made a very astute summary of the importance of this film. Often films can be very patronizing and do not truly try to understand the subjects of the films.
ReplyDeleteAnother aspect is that many people imagine that Argentina is "european", it is quite rare to get that kind of perspective (THE OTHER ARGENTINA )although becoming more common these days.For me it was sad because he was so innocent in a sense but not stupid.Like when he got the camera etc...
Also interesting that while the politicians have been looting the country for all they could get in detriment to people like "tati", he was doing a selfless deed.