Saturday 3 July 2010

Postales - EIFF - Cineworld -25/6/10

Director Josh Hyde delivers a postcard from Peru in this intelligent and provocative film.

When a wealth American property developer arrives in Peru to finalise a deal to purchase some land he does so with his wife and two adolescent daughters with him. The land he is to purchase is home to an impoverished family who have two adolescent sons. One of the sons makes his money by selling postcards (postales) to tourists and the other by stealing from the beautiful girls he picks up or by mugging tourists.

The lives of the two boys become entwined with those of the girls after the elder boy robs the father (while unaware of who he is) and from there the family is plunged into an emotional maelstrom. On the surface this is a simple tale, well told, about family and adolescence but beneath the surface this is a story about American colonialism and the impact that has on the developing world.

Hyde is to be commended for making a political film that is never "preachy" and is always engaging.

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