
Huacho
Directed by
Chile, France, Germany
2009
90 min
- Spanish
Drama
Cannes IFF - International Critics' WeekToronto IFF - Contemporary World Cinema San Sebastián IFF - Horizontes Latinos
On a long day at the end of summer, four members of a southern Chilean peasant family struggle to adapt to the changing world in which they live in, a world where a video game or a new dress can be as precious as a liter of milk or a glass of wine. A new, global world where boundaries between tradition and modernity are fading and values are quickly changing.
Awards
- Sundance/NHK International Filmmaker Award
- Best Film - Viña del Mar IFF
- Best Director - Punta del Este IFF
- Best First Film - Habana FF
Festivals
Credits
- Cast
- Manuel Hernández
- Clemira Aguayo
- Cornelio Villagrán
- Alejandra Yañez
- Screenplay
- Alejandro Fernández Almendras
- Cinematography
- Inti Briones
- Editing
- Sébastien de Sainte Croix
- Sales
- PLAYTIME
- Production
- CHARIVARI FILMS
- Production
- JIRAFA FILMS
- Production
- PANDORA FILMPRODUKTION
- Production
- ARTE FRANCE CINEMA
Press
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A debut feature whose unaffected style and truthful qualities... gradually gain depth, as time seems to slip away.
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A labour of love in the best sense.
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Terrific; one of the most beautiful films in the history Chilean cinema.
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His minimalist script blends with docu-style direction that reveals the minor beauties of the rural setting, as well as the darker plight of peasants trying to survive in a ruthless market economy.
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Probably the best Chilean film of the last years.

Alejandro Fernández Almendras
Chile
Film criticism has been key to my work as a filmmaker
Born in 1971, Chile. Alejandro Fernández Almendras studied journalism and since 2002 has directed several awarded short films. His debut feature HUACHO (2009) premiered in Festival de Cannes and his second film BY THE FIRE (2011) premiered at San Sebastian FF. TO KILL A MAN (2014) won the World Cinema Grand Jury Prize: Dramatic at Sundance FF and represented Chile at the Academy and Goya Awards. His film MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING (2016) premiered at San Sebastian and Sundance FF. His latest film, THE BEST WE CAN (2018), partially funded by the Jeonju Cinema Project grant, courtesy of the Korean festival, was screened at Jeonju IFF 2018. In 2019 he released his film THE PLAY.