Bomb-Building Miner Flees Chile for Turin's Shadows

Premiering at Locarno, "The Chilean" by Sergio Castro-San Martín tells the story of Aldo Marín, a Chilean miner who flees his country's regime in 1976 for Turin, Italy. In Turin, he encounters Luciana, a doctor involved in illegal abortions, and attempts to forge a new life.

Aldo's past haunts him, particularly his talent for building bombs, which becomes both his curse and a central element of his struggle. The film uses this personal conflict to explore broader themes of forced exile and migration, drawing parallels between the 1970s and contemporary societal issues.

Castro-San Martín aimed to create a period piece deeply connected to the present, avoiding political propaganda. The narrative shifts the protagonist's goal from assassinating Pinochet to a simpler, more universal desire: reuniting with his family. This re framing allows the story to transcend ideology and focus on the human experience of displacement and reinvention.

The film also highlights the complexities of language and identity, with characters speaking both Italian and Spanish. It portrays a generation of the militant left, once driven by ideals, now finding themselves orphaned and scattered. Their struggles are deeply personal, reflecting accumulated anger and betrayal, as they are forced to confront blurred ideological landscapes.