The Settlers (2023)
The Settlers
”A wealthy landowner in early 20th century Chile hires three horsemen to mark his property and open a route to the Atlantic Ocean in Patagonia.”
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Why watch this film?
The Settlers (Los colonos), directed by Felipe Gálvez, is a Chilean film that appropriates the conventions of the revisionist western to explore a often marginalized side of Chile's colonialist history. The plot revolves around a landowner who hires an expedition to demarcate his property and open a path through Patagonia to the Atlantic Ocean. Who makes up the expedition? A young Chilean mestizo, an American mercenary, and an English lieutenant—a uneasy mix that generates tensions. Although scattered in tone and narrative, The Settlers is visually impressive and serves as a good starting point if you want to learn more about European colonization in Latin America, the repercussions of which are still felt today.
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Plot summary
Chile, early 20th century. José Menéndez, a wealthy landowner, hires three horsemen to mark out the perimeter of his extensive property and open a route to the Atlantic Ocean across vast Patagonia.
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