The National Board of Review (NBR) has announced today the picks for the best films and performances of the year, including the Guatemalan film La Llorona by Jayro Bustamante, which was named the Best Foreign Language film of the year.
The third feature film by Bustamante (Ixcanul, Temblores) has been selected by Guatemala as the country’s Academy Award candidate in the Best International Feature Film competition, and according to numerous press reports, is one of the front runners. Additionally, The Museum of Modern Art recently included the Central American film in its prestigious series ‘The Contenders’ dedicated to showcasing influential, innovative films made that the museum’s curators believe will stand the test of time.
La Llorona is a tale of horror and magical realism that reimagines the iconic Latin American fable, a grieving indigenous woman seeking revenge for the death of her children, as an urgent metaphor of Guatemala’s recent civil war which left an estimated hundreds of thousands dead, missing and displaced. The bloodiest period was under the rule of Efraín Ríos Montt, from 1981 to 1983. Today, Central America remains a region hit by violence against indigenous peoples, social movements and marginalized communities.
The film follows indignant retired general Enrique, whose character is inspired by Montt, as he finally faces trial for the genocidal massacre of thousands of Mayans decades ago. As a horde of angry protestors threatens to invade his opulent home, the women of the house—his wife, daughter, and granddaughter—weigh their responsibility to shield the erratic, senile Enrique against the devastating truths being publicly revealed and the increasing sense that a wrathful supernatural force is targeting them for his crimes.
Additionally, the National Board of Review also included the Chilean documentary film The Mole Agent / El agente topo by Maite Alberdi as one of the top 5 Foreign Language Films.
