Institute History
Description
THE LAST HARVEST is a chronicle of Latin America, a land gripped by ambition, repression and dreams of freedom.
The story takes place at the "La Almona," a vast cattle ranch in the interior of Argentina. Like on many other ranches throughout Latin America, the landlord, don Carlos, anchored to tradition and "old ways," is replaced by his son Patricio, who returns from the U.S. with an agricultural engineering degree, foreign capital and a new philosophy: quick profit at all cost and "the bottom line". His great plans will result in drastic changes for "La Almona": both for the environment and for those who live there.
The simple choice to replace cattle with tobacco will change the lives of Julian and Chauqui. Julian, the most experienced gaucho on the ranch, has lived his entire life on horseback, a way of life that tobacco and new technology will destroy. Chanqui, a miner from the mountains who rents a few acres on the ranch to plant corn, also does not fit into the new regime.
This entire conflict is seen through the eyes of the 12-year-old Jose, the son of Julian and Francisca, Don Carlo's cook.
THE LAST HARVEST shows the inter-dependant reality between the two Americas, North and South, as well as questioning our ideas of progress and its effect on people and the environment.