THE FRONTIER (LA FRONTERA)
Argentina, 1992, 120 minutes, Colour.
Patricio Contreras, Gloria Laso.
Directed by Ricardo Larrain.
The Frontier is a striking Chilean film, the first feature by co-writer and director Ricardo Larrain, winner of the Silver Bear at the 1992 Berlin Film Festival. It goes back to the Pinochet era and the political persecutions and exiles. The hero is a maths-teacher, banished south to an isolated, rain soaked island.
The people are also isolated, some taking themselves very seriously, others languishing at the end of the world. It is disorienting for the maths teacher - especially in his encounters with the people, his learning to depend on
them, his deciding to act as a deep sea diver for a friend. His family come to visit him, but with the eccentric and pompous behaviour of the police officials, he has to shout from the shore while they are on a raft. Finally, he encounters love and devotion - but with the coming of a tidal wave, he is brought back to reality and has to make conscious decisions as he is photographed for Chilean television.
The film is a strong personal drama, Patricio Contreras excellent as the exiled teacher. The film brings the island vividly to life with its landscapes, its rain land seasons, its tidal wave. The eccentric characters are also well presented, especially the officious chief of the town depending on his second in charge for practical advice in how to handle such a new situation. The films is also a commentary on the changing ethos of Chilean political life from the 70s to the 80s.
1. A product of Chile of the early 90s, the reflection on the 70s and the 80s? Government, fascist treatment of political prisoners? Political repression? Freedoms?
2. The locations, the coast of Southern Chile, the isolated islands and coastline, the sea, the town, the hills? The buildings? The roads to get to this place of exile? The musical score?
3. The title, the island, the frontier exile? On the edge of the world, remote and isolated? The impact of the sudden invasion of the television crews at the end of the film and back to the ordinary world?
4. The opening journey, the officials and the discussion about English, computer studies? Types of police? Getting the photo with the prisoner? Chilean authorities - sinister and jovial? The complexity of the behaviour of officials during the regime of General Pinochet?
5. The local chief and his pomposity and ignorance, his sense of responsibility, and duty? His harshness? His assistant giving prudent advice? The Laurel and Hardy type twosome? The receiving of the prisoner, assuming the worst about him
as a terrorist? The signing of the documents? The problems of housing? His possessions? His letters - and reading his letter aloud? The supervision? The visitors and their having to stay on the raft? Having to sign every four hours, their encountering him and the sexual relationship, their reaction? Their belief that he was a terrorist? His pardon and their complete change of style? The assistant and his affair, his help to the exile and wanting him to keep quiet and not to reveal the truth to his wife?
6. Ramiro and the journey, in himself, the handcuffs, reserved, the revelation about this crime, the signing of the document? The experience of exile, his being considered wimpish? The role of a maths teacher, the political movements? His wife? The separation? The conditions in the town, his dependence on the priest, in the sacristy? Having to report to the authorities? His respect but disdain for them? The encounter with Maite, the discussion about the sea? The story of the tidal wave? His becoming ill, the local doctor with her herbs and medicines? His recovery? His friendship with the priest, their discussions, the priest and his curiosity and repentance and prayer? Meeting the diver, their talk, his theory about the hole in the ocean? The tidal waves? The invitation to dive? His refusal, the initial attempts, his improving? Under the sea, the finding of the symbolic statue? The friendship with Maite, her father and his madness, going to Spain - and people not able to talk to him? The quality of life, isolation, memories? The letter, the photos? The abortive visit, seeing his son, trying to make contact? His ex-wife, the friend? Memories of the political group? Prying on Maite, the sexual encounter? His change? The tidal wave and the disaster, Maite and her refusal to leave her father, his going to the hill, with the priest and the people? The coming of the television crew, the interrogation, his decisions - especially now that he was free? The repetition of his stance on the television?
7. Maite, unmarried, frustrated, looking after her father? Knowing that Ramiro was watching her in her room? The sexual advances, the affair? Her decisions to stay and support her father? Her father, his library, the tidal wave, his retreating and going to Spain, unable to be spoken to? His death?
8. The diver, his theory about the tidal waves and the hole in the ocean? Diving, friendship with Ramiro? The bonds, the discoveries, the statue?
9. The priest, the contemporary priest and the isolated parishes, his van, the food and support? His curiosity - and his repentance, prayer? Unable to help Ramiro as a friend? The foreign missionary in Chile?
10. The background of Ramiro's wife and sone? Their exile in Europe, the photo and the letter? Their visit, the tensions in calling from the shore to the raft? The son singing the song with his father?
11. Life at the end of the world in southern Chile, a symbolic area, disaster area - but survival?
12. The end of the film and Ramiro's choices and affirmation of his stances?
