This article contains Culture Editor Ernesto Carlin's comments on La Revolucion y la Tierra (The Revolution And The Land), a documentary —currently in Peruvian theaters— about agrarian reform initiated by the military government of Juan Velasco Alvarado.
Half a century after the agrarian reform implemented by Velasco, the figure of this Peruvian general keeps triggering heated debates.
Despite the temporal distance, there is no consensus on his measures, specially the most emblematic one.
Gonzalo Benavente directed this political documentary in the full sense of the word. He explores different topics from the situation before the so-called "Velascato" to an overview of those years, but in an original way.
For instance, he included audiovisual material in the inevitable interviews with survivors and in the studies conducted at that time.
Thus, his film becomes a memory of national cinema in Peru.
Furthermore, it manages to tell a fluent story about the social situation in Peru back in the 20th century by using scenes from old films.
Lastly, the research on files was remarkable, and most of the interviews included were relevant.
Technical Specifications
"La Revolucion y la Tierra" (The Revolution And The Land)
Director: Gonzalo Benavente Secco.
Running time: 110 minutes.
The film utilized a lot of archival material. The scenes were shot in different places like Huando Estate, Talara, La Convencion, and Martin Chambi Photography Studio. In addition, the documentary received an honorable mention from the jury for the Best Peruvian Film at 2019 Lima Film Festival.
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Published: 10/16/2019