Uruguay has become the first Latin American country to select its candidate for the competition for Best International Feature in the 95th Academy Awards, and has picked The Employer and the Employee, the third film by writer-director Manolo Nieto (The Dog Pound, The Militant), which had its world premiere at Cannes Directors’ Fortnight in 2021.
In this slow-burn drama set in the Uruguayan countryside, close to the Brazilian border, Nieto continues his insightful and provocative examination of class conflict. Acclaimed Argentine actor Nahuel Pérez Biscayart [BPM (Beats Per Minute)] stars as Rodrigo, a young landowner whose most pressing concern is his baby’s health. He hires Carlos, an inexperienced teenager looking for a job to support his own newborn. Despite a growing connection between them, an unexpected event will strain their bond and put their families in danger.
Uruguay has regularly submitted films for the Academy Award for since 2001, but the South American country ha not yet been nominated.
