Peru may not have the same world-cinema cachet as Lat-Am heavyweights Brazil and Argentina, but judging by Josué Méndez's assured feature debut, the country has more than enough socioeconomic discontentment to foment a new wave of angry young cineastes. Set in a sweltering Lima slum, Días de Santiago recounts several weeks in the life of Santiago Roman (Pietro Sibille), a 23-year-old Peruvian navy veteran who returns home only to face unemployment, crime, and less than welcoming parents. His attempts at landing a respectable office job prove humiliating, and Santiago soon sinks into a debilitating depression. The movie's similarities to Taxi Driver (young war veteran, urban filth, pressure-cooker psychodrama) reach a thematic apex when Santiago accepts a gig as a cabbie. Like Travis Bickle though far less nuts, Santiago holds the sleazy world at a contemptible distance only to be gradually drawn in by the specter of lost girlhood—in this case, a gaggle of club-going nymphets ranging in temperament from madonna to whore. Méndez contrasts his protagonist's highly subjective journey with a neorealistic visual style. If the movie lacks narrative originality, it leaves a singularly raw impression of having spent time inside someone's sweaty, ill-fitting skin.
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Francisco 05/07/2009 8:57:32 PM
Dear David Ng I just came across your comment and thought of dropping you a few lines. What you simply called a socioeconomic discontentment supported by the government is a reality for a big number of the population in other parts of the world. The characters exposed are part of the effects of post-colonial times in which they are immersed. Many veterans are mistreated because of the powerless position in which they are (including in first world countries). I could not find any parts in the movie in which Santiago was looking for a job? Maybe the subtitles were misread or who ever translated the film for you didn't do a good job... ? Desperate action from unemployment might lead to crime specially in dysfunctional societies/families. Your comparison with Taxi Driver has no validation except that there is a Taxi driver involved in both films. Military Service used to be obligatory in Peru. He doesn't accept any gigs as a cabbie. People back in the 80's used to place a TAXI sticker in the window (as he did) as a way to survive financially. I could continue but I would rather not. We should be thankful or feel lucky that we do not have to face those levels of poverty or "sweatiness". But I guess it might be hard to imagine for some. If we continue to center our criticality from a perspective still ignorant of the other or with no interest, we will not learn anything valuable about each other and the place where we live. As far as the narrative originality and content of the film; I would rather trust Des Trois Continents’(France), Grant recipient of Hubert Bals Fund for Post-production (The Netherlands); Rotterdam Film Festival; AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL HUMANITARIAN AWARD. BEST FILM / Grand Prix Regard D’Or at the International Film Festival, Fribourg, Switzerland, BEST ACTOR at the Festival Internacional de Cine Independiente, Buenos Aires, Argentina, BEST FILM at the International Film Festival, Innsbruck, Austria and the Prix de l’Avenir at the Encontres Internationales de Cinéma, Paris. Thank you, Francisco