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peru.travel
Friday, August 7, 2020
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The Peruvian film industry has been increasingly growing both nationally and abroad. Over the last few years, great films and documentaries of all genres have been successfully released thanks to their valuable proposals; in fact, many of these productions have been recognized in prestigious festivals, such is the case of La teta asustada which was nominated for an Oscar in 2010.
In this article, we are going to remember some of the Peruvian films that have not only been highly successful at the box office, but have also served as an engine for the promotion of Peru as a tourist destination, as well as a place for future productions due to its great variety of locations. Each film has a different genre and its own story, but they are all aligned with the same goal: to revalue the cultural heritage of Peru and to make well-known the natural wealth and human talent this country has.
Perú, tesoro escondido (Perú, Hidden Treasure) (2017)
Directed by Uruguayan filmmaker Luis Ara and promoted by Promperu, this documentary (available to watch on Netflix) displays in depth all the cultural, natural, social and gastronomic riches of Peru through an audiovisual trip exploring its traditions, history, landscapes, customary dishes and tourist destinations.
It is about 80 minutes of spectacular images and involving sounds allowing you to experience scenes from immersing into the waters of the northern beaches, living the customs of communities in the islands of Lake Titicaca, and experience how nature presents itself by taking a walking tour through the Peruvian Amazon. There is also room to discover more about the excellent gastronomy offered by cities like Lima and Arequipa.
"The attraction here is diversity. This documentary is a way of showing the world a part of Latin America and making known how beautiful our places are and how proud we are of them. We went in search of nature and that has made the film a visual, sound and sensory journey, where the music has a lot to do", said the director of the documentary for the EFE agency.
And, as the name of this audiovisual piece says, Peru is a treasure to be discovered in every corner of its territory. If you have not yet watched it, we recommend that you have an electronic device with an open travel website close to you because, without a doubt, the desire to know and live this country closely will be the first thing you experience once you finish watching this documentary.
Retablo (Altarpiece) (2017)
According to film critics, Retablo is one of the most valued Peruvian films in recent years. Its script, recorded entirely in the Quechua language, added to its own narrative style with beautiful landscapes, praiseworthy performances and a great final message, made it recognized and nominated for the Bafta awards, considered the British Oscars. It was also nominated for in first instances for the Oscar and Goya Awards.
The film focuses on the experiences of a young man from Ayacucho (a region in the southern Andes of Peru) whose father teaches him the family job of building altarpieces (retablos in Spanish). One day, during a trip to sell the products, an unexpected situation makes him rethink his convictions and principles that will change the life of his family. The film features a special performance by Magaly Solier, a well-known young Peruvian actress, who offers one of her most outstanding performances.
"For me, Retablo is a love story, a situation about how complicated tolerance is. About diversity and how difficult it is to accept it. But it is also a story between complexity and modernity, and how these two forces can coexist," says director Alvaro Delgado Aparicio.
Prueba de fondo (The Long-Distance Test) (2018)
Filmed in Rio de Janeiro, Santiago de Chile, Lima and Huancayo, this movie is the result of three years of filming with In+es Melchor, one of the most important and awarded Peruvian athletes in this country. The story focuses on her beginnings as a long-distance runner, as well as her trainings, competitions and recovery processes, covering all the ups and downs in her path to become one of the most representative sportswomen of Peru.
"For us, this documentary seeks to reaffirm the importance of sport in the social gaze through the history of the struggles of Ines Melchor. This audiovisual testimony could serve as a tool for strengthening and social mobility throughout Peru", commented its directors Oscar Bermeo and Christian Acuna at a press conference during the presentation of the film.
Prueba de Fondo was filmed in Rio de Janeiro, Santiago de Chile, Lima and Huancayo. Credit: Youtube Prueba de Fondo Documental.
Prueba de fondo is a tribute not only to Ines Melchor, but to all Peruvian athletes, whose efforts and discipline seek to surpass themselves and put the name of Peru at the top.
Pacificum, el retorno al océano (Pacificum, The Return To The Ocean) (2017)
If you love the sea and the secrets that reside in its depths, this documentary has what you need to enjoy all the richness that the Peruvian coast has to offer, including the discovery of unknown and improbable species, as well as sustainable methods of experiential tourism of marine fauna.
This 75-minute film was first thought of by photographer Evelyn Merino Reyna and historian Henry Mitrani. Later, it was directed by Peruvian filmmaker Mariana Tschudi and it features the participation of four specialists: Rodolfo Salas (paleontologist), José Canziani (architect and urban planner), Yuri Hooker (marine biologist) and Belén Alcorta (specialist in ecotourism), who researched the great Peruvian sea and its close intimate relationship with man.
This 75-minute film was first thought of by photographer Evelyn Merino Reyna and historian Henry Mitrani. Credit: Facebook Pacificum, el retorno al óceano.
"The aerial and underwater shots invite the viewer to marvel at the sea, while the freehand animations connect him with a plastic sensibility, and thus, between art, aesthetics and science, we can fall in love with the sea again", this is how director Mariana Tschudi described the documentary during its presentation.
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