A symphony of the city in the heights, the illness of a worker, the nightmare, and his redemption.
Bolivian director Kiro Russo’s “El Gran Movimiento” (The Great Movement), premiered at Venice in the Horizons section. It marks Russo’s follow-up to his 2016 debut “Dark Skull” which won a prize at Locarno and played at San Sebastian. “El Gran Movimiento” joins the increasing trend of films focusing on indigenous people dealing with the contradictions of industrialization – which produces mostly useless goods while simultaneously ruining everything around it. In particular, a montage during the third act showcases how unfettered consumerism distorts both social and environmental relationships.
“El Gran Movimiento” begins like a documentary, featuring a God’s eye view of La Paz, Bolivia, with the camera methodically capturing a panoramic view. The grainy cinematography by Pablo Paniagua recalls Pablo Larrain’s camcorder aesthetic on the Chilean political drama “No.” Using slow zooms, the locations grow, nearly enrapturing the screen. Eventually, the hypnotic camerawork pans down to a sobering demonstration in the streets: miners protesting peacefully are confronted by police firing rubber bullets and tear gas. When the smoke clears, one of the miners, Elder (Julio César Ticona) is interviewed by a journalist. Elder, along with his crew, marched seven days from their homes in Huanuni to demand their jobs back. After their demonstration is unsuccessful, the miners ride on a cable car overlooking La Paz’s industrial decay.
Due to years of unprotected labor – inhaling toxic particles and dust in the mines – Elder’s health is deteriorating. While Elder’s passed out in the street, an elderly woman known as Mama Pancha (Francisa Arce de Aro), wakes him up and introduces herself. Mama Pancha believes Elder to be a deceased friend’s child, and wanting to help him, reaches out to Max (Max Bautista Uchasara), a unique healer.
Max resides in the rainforest and occasionally heads to La Paz for work as a street performer. Similar to “The Fever’s” sound design, there’s a spiritual distinction between urban and rural sounds. At night, Max is haunted by visions of a black panther that shifts into a demonic shadow reeking of sulfur. Most people mock his apocalyptic visions detailing the fall of La Paz and the world. When Max spots a white dog roaming nearby, he follows the canine down the Andes, to Elder’s room in the valley. As Max performs shamanic rituals on Elder, the film becomes more surreal. One of the high marks of the Festival, possibly the year.
“El Gran Movimiento” (The Great Movement) recently premiered at the 2021 Venice Film Festival
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