Machuca Sociology
Throughout the entire film Machuca directed by Andrés Wood we see the social and political unrest of Chile during the 1970’s. While it is all presented from the prospective of school children, we get glimpses of violence, extreme poverty, and unfair distribution of wealth. The first scene from the film that is representative of Chile’s social climate is when Gonzalo first visits the slums with Pedro. When they arrive at the outskirts of Pedro’s community, Pedro gets off the bike and says that he will go from there himself. There is some hesitation to allow Gonzalo into his community, possibly out of embarrassment. Once they get to Pedro’s home it is painfully obvious that Gonzalo has never been in this type of environment. When he asks to use their restroom it is revealed that they do not have a privet, indoor restroom and that they share an outhouse. While he is sitting at the table
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Gonzalo’s mothers wipes dirt from him, proving that even though they can provide very little for their children they have not lost their dignity or pride.
After seeing the life that Gonzalo is accustomed to this scene is a stark contrast. Because of these unsettling images, there is some relation to the ideas of Cinema Novo. The goal of Cinema Novo is to reveal the truth, rather than to show only the dominate culture like traditional cinema. To accomplish this affect, film makers use unsettling images, and sounds to cause the viewer discomfort. I believe that the gross injustice seen in this film accomplishes this goal. The second scene which captures Chile’s political environment during the 1970’s is the debate in the chapel.
This meeting brought together parents from the upper-class families and the parents of the newly admitted poor children. It is evident from the very beginning that the schools new socialist policy was controversial. The poor children are bullied and told that they do not deserve to be there. The program that allowed these children to be admitted is one of many examples of the leftist changes instituted by Salvador Allende before he was ousted. During the discussion we hear opinions from both sides of the isle. The upper class parents suggest that the children just cannot mix and that their children should never have been exposed to liberal ideas, or the poverty in their country. When one woman from the slums speaks, she tells a tragic story about why she moved to that town in the first place. She says that her husband struggled to find a job and when he did find a job caring for animals on a farm he was treated unfairly. If the animals became ill, he would not be
payed. In both of these scenes we see the struggle of the lower-class for survival. They work themselves to the bone in order to provide the necessities. The film contrasts this with Gonzalo’s life or excess. His family has more than enough because the upper-class lives on the back of the lower-class. They hold all of the wealth, therefore they hold all the power. When a popularly elected leader opposes this system, he is removed.
Gonzalo’s mothers wipes dirt from him, proving that even though they can provide very little for their children they have not lost their dignity or pride.
After seeing the life that Gonzalo is accustomed to this scene is a stark contrast. Because of these unsettling images, there is some relation to the ideas of Cinema Novo. The goal of Cinema Novo is to reveal the truth, rather than to show only the dominate culture like traditional cinema. To accomplish this affect, film makers use unsettling images, and sounds to cause the viewer discomfort. I believe that the gross injustice seen in this film accomplishes this goal. The second scene which captures Chile’s political environment during the 1970’s is the debate in the chapel.
This meeting brought together parents from the upper-class families and the parents of the newly admitted poor children. It is evident from the very beginning that the schools new socialist policy was controversial. The poor children are bullied and told that they do not deserve to be there. The program that allowed these children to be admitted is one of many examples of the leftist changes instituted by Salvador Allende before he was ousted. During the discussion we hear opinions from both sides of the isle. The upper class parents suggest that the children just cannot mix and that their children should never have been exposed to liberal ideas, or the poverty in their country. When one woman from the slums speaks, she tells a tragic story about why she moved to that town in the first place. She says that her husband struggled to find a job and when he did find a job caring for animals on a farm he was treated unfairly. If the animals became ill, he would not be
payed. In both of these scenes we see the struggle of the lower-class for survival. They work themselves to the bone in order to provide the necessities. The film contrasts this with Gonzalo’s life or excess. His family has more than enough because the upper-class lives on the back of the lower-class. They hold all of the wealth, therefore they hold all the power. When a popularly elected leader opposes this system, he is removed.