Chile | Uruguay | Germany 2024
Opening August 21, 2025
Directed by: Juan Francisco Olea
Writing credits: Francisco Hervé, Moisés Sepúlveda, Maria Luisa Furché, Agustin Toscano
Principal actors: Katalina Sánchez, Francisco Melo, Michael Silva
Carola (Katalina Sánchez) and her father Pacifico (Francisco Melo) live in a camp in the middle of the Atacama Desert. Pacifico, as well as four hired day laborers, illegally search underground for copper, and, more importantly, for gold. Carola comes along to cook for them. One of the men is her godfather, Juan Maria. Another is Humberto, who arrives late. This causes a serious conflict with Pacifico, who is shot in the leg. Even worse: Humberto dies. Eventually, his cousin Amadeo arrives, looking for him. Now, sixteen-year-old Carola is not only responsible for her father, whom she wishes to take to the hospital, she must also find the gold. Carola sets out alone to their underground tunnel/cave, where she hides the corpse of Humberto.
In eighty-three minutes of action, we see a young girl slowly turn into a strong woman, as she accepts every responsibility. Filmed in the Atacama Desert in Chile, we enjoy gorgeous shots of these surroundings: desert, water, caves, cliffs. Bitter Gold is being presented as a neo- western, which according to Wikipedia “is a contemporary film genre that reinterprets traditional Western themes and tropes, often set in modern times. It features modern themes, complex characters, and may include rebellious anti-heroes, vast landscapes, and elements of violence and gunfighting. Neo-westerns can also explore narratives that reflect current societal issues while maintaining the stylistic elements of classic Westerns.” Yes, much of that shows up in our film. Bitter Gold played in several film festivals including the Emden-Norderney Film Festival, where my colleague Michael Spangenberg interviewed director Juan Olea, in English, which you can enjoy on Michael’s website www.nochnfilm.de. Olea discusses the making of the film, saying that in real-life Chile women are not allowed into mines. (Becky T.)