ZONA SUR

Bolivia, 2009, 109 minutes, Colour.
Directed by Juan Carlos Valdivia Flores.

Zona Sur is about a wealthy family in La Paz. They are dominated by the mother, a melodramatic woman, who has a Native Indian servant whom she treats almost as a husband as well as a servant whom she does not pay. There is also another Indian servant who works in the house. The husband is absent – mentioned only in passing. The others who live in the house include the woman’s son and his girlfriend, her daughter and her girlfriend, and a little boy who spends most of his time with the servants. There is no plot as such, just watching the various characters and their interactions and behaviour. However, towards the end of the film, the Indian has to go back to his village and bury his son. The film focuses on the traditional life of the Bolivian Indians high in the Andes. However, the film is not just sympathetic to the plight of the Indians. In fact, two very wealthy Indian women want to buy out the mother of the house at the end of the film.

The film is a portrait rather than a drama.

1.Audience awareness of Bolivia, Bolivian cinema? The portrait in this film? The characters? The themes?

2.The film principally inside the house? The visit to the Indian village and the contrast? The continually tracking camera, even within the rooms of the house? The effect of this aesthetic choice? The aerial themes – and the imagination of the young boy, the final flying over the house? The musical score, classic, thundering, Indian?

3.The portrait of the mother, her age, wealth, would-be glamour? Her interactions with each of her children? Her interactions with the servants? The way of life in the household? The intentions to send the children abroad to study? Her sister’s advice? Her moods? Her interaction with Wilson, dominating him, not paying him, the fight, the reconciliation? The work with the maid in the house? Her devotion? The Indian women and her case full of money? The decision to sell the house?

4.The children: the young man, his relationship with his girlfriend, their sexual encounters, videoing them? At the table, discussions, the prospect of study? The daughter, her girlfriend, part of the household? The young boy, the film’s focus more on him than the other children? His playing, his imaginary companion, Spielberg? His being with Wilson and the maid, learning through them? His love for his mother? The end and his flying over the house?

5.Wilson, his service in the house, devoted? Meticulous, the woman relying on him for every detail? Getting dressed, makeup…? His own life, going into the woman’s bathroom and using the sprays etc? His child, the death, going to the funeral, returning to the Indian style and traditions? The confrontation with the wife, the reconciliation? The maid, her presence, her native dress, devotion?

6.The overall impact that the film leaves for audiences not familiar with Bolivia, La Paz, the rich, the poor, the Indians?