The film chosen this week was ‘Even the Rain’, directed by Icíar Bollaín. Taking place in the mountains of Bolivia, this film follows a movie crew making a historical film about the oppression of Christopher Columbus. They employ the local residents to play the indigenous people, which poses a problem because they are in the middle of protesting the government for taxing their drinkable water. The film has a strong symbolism because it shows how the people living in the area are just as oppressed as they were in the past. The making of this historical film shows the oppression inflicted by Columbus through Christianity, while the film crew oppresses the locals in the same way, by capitalizing on their poverty and using low wages. To this day a lot of areas in Latin America deal with unfair taxes placed by the government agencies. Many people think about the oppressive history and how far the countries have come, but do not see that people living outside of the big cities are still fighting for basic human rights, such as drinking water and fair wages. These people are constantly being put down by those in power, giving them no chance to fight back or be seen differently. It is important to face the fact that people are being oppressed in the same way as they have been for hundreds of years, but instead of religion, it is with governmental policies.

I highly recommend this film as it forces one to think about the bigger picture and to be more conscious of their actions, as well as the dangers of ignorance or naivety.

 

What about you? Did you see the movie? Did you enjoy it? What movies do you recommend to continue learning about Bolivia?

Information Officer