Reviews of Recent Independent, Foreign, & Documentary Films in Theaters and DVD/Home Video
Directed & Produced by: Kief Davidson & Richard Ladkani. Director of Photography: Richard Ladkani. Edited by: Kief Davidson. Music by: Leonardo Heiblum & Andrés Solis. Released by: First Run. Language: Spanish with English subtitles. Country of Origin: USA. 82 min. Not Rated.
Directors Kief Davidson and Richard Ladkani unobtrusively take
viewers into Bolivia’s hot and dusty Cerro Rico silver
mines with the Vargas boys, Basilio, 14, and his brother Bernardino,
12. Their father died several years earlier, leaving them to provide
for their mother and baby sister. They are two of over 9,000 men
and boys who currently work in the mine’s 20,000 tunnels, at an
average of 15,000 feet below ground, sacrificing their health and their lives to
earn money – just dollars a day – to feed their families.
This fascinating film focuses on Basilio, who is at once a child and an adult. After a long day trudging through the mines, he plays soccer and
giggles with his brother. His sister calls him “papa.” But at the school he attends part-time, Basilio shyly watches the other kids play, longing to make new friends. Above ground, Basilio is a devout
Catholic. But beneath, he worships the devil, as do all
the local miners. They believe worshiping horned statues of
Satan, the embodiment of darkness and evil, will protect
them from cave-ins.
Breathtaking views of the Bolivian countryside mix with vivid,
fascinating scenes of local rituals, a miner’s parade and festival –
the highlight of Basilio’s year – as well as the yearly sacrifice of a llama. Villagers believe giving the devil the animal’s blood will save the miners from death.
Both of the Vargas boys are well-spoken, introspective and have big
dreams. Basilio wants to be a teacher and travel the world. Bernardino
wants to be an engineer. But mining is quick money, and for some, the
only option. In the end, viewers can only hope the boys will continue
their studies and find a way out. For anyone interested in Latin
American history/culture and children’s rights, The Devil’s Miner
is a must-see.
Deborah Lynn Blumberg
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