The Southern Cross (La Cruz del Sur)

Director: Patricio Guzman
Screenwriters: Patricio Guzman

Institute History

  • 1993 Sundance Film Festival

Description

The extraordinary beauty and subtlety of its sound and image editing take The Southern Cross out of the grasp of logical documentary, transporting the audience into another realm altogether, a magical one which we willingly navigate with our senses refreshed, our minds invigorated, our hearts transformed.

The film begins at ground zero: the conquest. Indians enact rituals within the ruins of their temples as Spanish conquistadors arrive to exterminate them. It's a vision of the past, but also of the present. as the film's mingling of historical and contemporary realities soon makes clear. Moving from nation to nation, tribe to tribe, this epic film exposes the power and mortal vulnerability of native peoples and their faith. In Guatemala, there's death. But in Brazil, the vivacity of macurnba priestesses and liberation theologians demonstrates how religions can empower their believers.

Guzman is no New Age follower, though. The funeral of Salvadoran theologian Ignacio Ellacuria, juxtaposed With the Pope's visit, is political evidence that the Right makes Might. and not the other way around. Remember, it was Guzman who brought us that same message in The Battle of Chile so many years ago.


Tuesday Jan 26 7:30 pm
Holiday Village Cinema 111

Sunday Jan 31 8:45 pm
Holiday Village Cinema II

$6.00

— B. Ruby Rich

Screening Details

Credits

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