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THE DEVIL'S MINER
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
March 17, 2006