Lucho, a working-class man, befriends intellectuals supporting the Popular Unity movement, leading to action-packed scenes and satirical commentary on the era.
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On one side, we have Lucho and the working class; on the other, intellectuals backing the Popular Unity movement alongside the petite bourgeoisie. Their unlikely friendship escalates into scenes of action, gunfire, and discordant songs, offering a satirical portrayal of the era.
"Socialist Realism (El realismo socialista) is a peculiar cinematic artifact, to say the least. It was filmed between 1972 and 1973 by Raúl Ruiz – one of Chile's most important filmmakers – but was unable to complete post-production due to the coup d'état of Augusto Pinochet. Currently, after the footage was found in various archives, restored, and finally assembled by Valeria Sarmiento (a renowned editor and the director's wife), the film was finally completed in 2023 and premiered at various film festivals around the world. Thus, Socialist Realism recovers its original spirit: to tell interconnected stories that satirize the contradictions of the political left of the time, from the Unidad Popular coalition and the politically ambitious artistic elites, to the working class. But it also does so with the distance that time grants, resulting in a work of impressive clarity of vision."