Learning Latin American history can feel overwhelming, given the size and diversity of the region, not to mention the navel-gazing of the US education system (and larger culture). Canada, too, tends to sideline Latin American history, as does too much of the Anglo world. Though LATAM countries have similarities (genocide, dictatorships, and the exploitation of resources), they are also distinctive, shaped by particular events at particular times. Films can be vessels into these moments, helping us contextualize the pivotal moments in Latin American history. Take a trip through time and the hemisphere to learn some Latin American history with the five films below.
Argentina, 1985 (2022)
Set after the military dictatorship that gripped Argentina from 1976 to 1983, Argentina, 1985 follows Julio César Strassera (Ricardo Darín) and his legal team in their journey to prosecute those involved in the systematic tortures and disappearances of the Dirty War. Despite Argentina’s status as a new democracy at the time, Strassera struggles to find people in the legal sector who are willing to take on the trial. Their quest for evidence (and team members) makes for a thrilling experience leading up to the Trial of the Juntas. Despite its serious subject matter, the film sprinkles humor throughout, along with an exquisite score and beautiful cinematography. If you’re not sure how the Trial of the Juntas ended, you can watch Argentina, 1985 on Prime Video. Nunca más.
Chile, ‘76 (2022)
In the middle of the Pinochet dictatorship, Chile ‘76 tells the story of Carmen (Aline Küppenheim), a middle-class woman who is asked to shelter a wounded resistance fighter. Carmen’s struggle to discreetly care for Elías (Nicolás Sepúlveda), powers the plot, but the film is about so much more. Chile, ‘76 ruminates on how to live under a dictatorship that threatens so much, how to find normalcy in a government that inflicts violence, and how to preserve your humanity under all those conditions. You can rent it on Prime Video or Apple TV.
I’m Still Here (2024)
If Chile ‘76 is a film about what is threatened, I’m Still Here is a film about what is taken – and in military dictatorship, the answer is endless. I’m Still Here is a devastating exploration of the Paiva family during Brazil’s military rule, and their journey to find Rubens Paiva (Selton Mello), the father, after the military abducts him. With a stunning performance by Fernanda Torres as Eunice Paiva, the film plunges you into their family, watching fascism disrupt their daily lives and their place in the world. It’s based on Marcelo Rubens Paiva’s memoir of the same name, which will be published in English this fall by Charco Press. Watch I’m Still Here on Prime Video or Apple TV.
La Llorona (2019)
In Guatemala, a former dictator is accused of genocide. His family lives in a large house with a staff primarily made up of Kaqchikel women. Locked inside by protestors who want him to face justice, Enrique Monteverde (played by Julio Díaz and based on the real Efraín Ríos Montt) begins to lose his sense of security. The house becomes haunted as filmmaker Jayro Bustamante asks us to reflect on what true horror is. La Llorona is a slow, suspenseful critique of colonial power dynamics that lingers long after the credits roll. Watch La Llorona on Amazon Prime Video.
Simón (2023)
While other films explore critical moments of the past, Simón is very present, a homage to both those who protest and those who leave. It follows the titular protestor in his struggle to decide whether to leave Venezuela in search of political asylum. Along the way, Simón showcases Venezuela’s current authoritarian government and the daily struggles of the Venezuelan people, such as finding medications like insulin. As Simón (Christian McGaffney) becomes an asylum seeker, writer/director Diego Vicentini beautifully dramatizes his guilt for leaving his country. Inspired by the Venezuelan protests against Nicolás Maduro, the film also features a character based on Rufo Chacón, who lost his eyes due to police brutality in 2019. You can watch Simón on Netflix, Prime Video, or rent it directly if you’re outside the U.S.
