EL CRISTO CIEGO/ THE BLIND CHRIST
Chile, 2016, 85 minutes, Colour.
Michael Silva.
Directed by Christopher Murray.
Who is Jesus Christ? Where is he in the world today? In the churches? In people who resemble him in his mission, in Christ figures? These are some of the questions that this film raises.
This is a brief film, something of a contemporary probing of faith, touches of mysticism, a yearning for miracles and healing.
It is a Chilean story, set in the countryside, in poor villages, some of them exploited by mining companies who drain rivers of water, in abandoned churches, outside prisons.
The central character is Michael, who feels that he is something of a prophet, that God is within him, that he is something like Christ in the 21st-century, urging a young boy, nails hammered into his hand, to pray, exiled by his father but walking, barefoot, through the desert encountering people whom he might help and heal. Help he does but he fails in healing, especially in his quest to meet an old friend who has come out of prison.
Michael is denounced mockingly as a prophet but also gains quite a following who believe in him, especially the women whom he tries to help. There are attacks on organised religion, on organised Catholicism, priests abandoning parishes the years, criticisms that Michael should not baptise…
This film is not one for conclusions but rather for opening up issues and questions about the nature of faith, organised religion, faith in the heart, the possibility for miracles, the possibility for ordinary and everyday life healing.
1. The title? Expectations? The presence of Jesus in the contemporary world? Christ figure?
2. The Chilean locations, towns and villages, homes, shops, churches, the open spaces? The desert scenery, dry rivers? The musical score? Religious overtones?
3. The pace of the film, audiences drawn into the life of the peasants, the religious dimensions, the touch of the mystical, the miraculous, issues of faith and grace? The slow revelation of Michael, his being another Christ, issues of faith and miracles, disappointments, disillusionments? A Christ figure?
4. The initial tone, the young boy, nails in his hands, his praying in the desert, his collapse?
5. Michael, the boy and the nails, his going home, the clashes with his father, his seeing himself as a healer, going on the mission to find his old friend and to heal him?
6. Michael as a character, his age, peasant background, religious background, moving away from church and religiosity, interior faith? His travels, the various villages? His telling parable stories and their being visualised?
7. His father exiling him, no shoes, walking the desert? The range of encounters? His attempts at healing? The people and their expectations, following him? His care of the old woman? The little girl praising him and inviting him to heal? The old men, the guardians of the church? The peasant woman, her gratitude, the sexual encounter and its effect on him?
8. People commenting in on him as a prophet, insult, praise? His own sense of God, faith, of mission, a feeling, despite failures?
9. The old man, his years in prison, his violence, the priest asking him to care for the church, the priest’s disappearance and not returning?
10. Episodes in the church, the children for a baptism, whether he should baptise on not, the old man coming to forbid him and his telling stories about healing and repentance?
11. Eventually meeting his friend, his sad story, the past visits to the home, the mine, losing his job, the life of crime and stealing, prison, his health? The bond between Michael and him? The ritual, his lying on the bed, Michael massaging his feet? But no recovery? And the man not worried about this but grateful for the friendship, affirmation?
12. Michael returning home, his father receiving him? And the puzzle about what he was to do with his future life?
