And then the rain

Spanish director Sebastián (Gael Garcia Bernal) arrives with his crew in the Bolivian town of Cochambamba to make the only true film about Columbus. Sebastián's intentions are high, as he wants to demystify the legendary explorer and instead depict the brutal conquest of an entire continent and the murder and enslavement of the indigenous Indians in images that are as real as possible. Due to the low budget, the remote region in the Andes was chosen as the filming location, especially since the local Indians can be used cheaply as extras. The project goes completely according to plan, not least thanks to the efforts of producer Costa (Luis Tosar). But then riots break out in the town after the region's water supply is sold to an international corporation. Not only does the situation become more dangerous for the crew by the day. Of all people, Daniel (Juan Carlos Aduviri), the main Indian character, turns out to be the leader of the riots. And so Sebastián must soon decide what price he is willing to pay to still be able to realize his dream project...

And Then the Rain is an incredibly layered film. On one level, it's the story of a passionate filmmaker. On another level, it questions how far you can go for your dreams. Then again, it's about the exploitation of the poor and the question of whether peaceful resistance makes any sense at all or whether only violence can bring about real change. All of this is wrapped up in an exciting and rousing story that entertains on a high level until the end with great pictures, excellent actors and without any form of kitsch or pathos.

The fact that Sebastián wants to make a film that shows Columbus as a brutal conqueror who enslaves indigenous people and exploits the land is, of course, deliberately chosen in order to establish a connection to history beyond the film set. While the inhabitants are being exploited by an international corporation, the young filmmaker is so focused on his work that he doesn't realize that even today and right under his nose exactly what he is trying to denounce in his film is happening. Worse, in order to save money, producer Costa is actually using the very means, namely the exploitation of indigenous people, that are then condemned in the film.

Naturally, there is a certain amount of purification in the course of the story. No real big surprise should be expected here. But the journey there is so realistically, engagingly and movingly drawn by director Iciar Bollain that it is hard to resist the power of the film. With its powerful images and a staging that seems almost documentary-like at crucial moments, And Then the Rain has become intelligent as well as exciting entertainment cinema that is an absolute must for lovers of sophisticated arthouse fare. Worth seeing

An article by Frankfurt-Tipp