Name: El huatrila
Genre: Drama
Rating: 6.4
Cast: Fernando Moya Tirado, Amiel Cayo, Thiago Amaro

Culture as a source of identity construction

A coming-of-age story depicting Raúl's struggles during his final year of school, where he faces challenges in both his school environment and in dealing with his father's poor health. The school he attends is not a regular school, for they always seem to speak in English despite the fact the story takes place in Peru, Latin America. This is evidence of it being a costly elite establishment where young Raúl feels like an intruder, someone who clearly does not belong and is out of place. His refusal to speak English, whether due to inability or choice, creates a constant and enlivening divide between his reality and theirs, his identity as a lower-class person, and theirs as rich 'gringos'.

Said divide is not exclusive to his socioeconomic status or his use of the foreign language, he also, as a mixed-race individual, finds in his ethnicity a predicament, making him feel alienated. An outsider wanting to flee as soon as possible through a scholarship in Madrid but finding resistance in his father's deteriorated health. This is a reason not only to convey an erratic father and son relationship where what was once left unsaid resurfaces in commanding waves of immanent angst, but also to reconnect with his roots through Tunantada, a Peruvian dance tradition.

It is in the framework of the Tunantada that El Huatrila takes its meaning as the title of the movie. El Huatrila "represents the natural character of the original Xauxa and Huanca ethnic groups. He belongs to the lower social class, he is the man dedicated to agriculture, to the fields, to herding sheep. Their dance is refined and elegant."

The film captures the viewer's attention and offers the opening of a door to a different culture that might not be known to most people. It also raises identity ruminations where the need to belong and the harbor it can provide as a source of identity construction are contested with the possibility of progress.

Spanish-language cinema across Spain and Latin America is united by its engagement with history, cultural identity, and social transformation. In Spain, films often balance artistic experimentation with popular genres while reflecting on memory, politics, and family. In Latin America, cinema has been deeply tied to questions of colonial legacy, resistance, and community resilience, ranging from intimate dramas to bold political allegories.

Ana Torrent in The Spirit of the Beehive (1973)

The drama genre is a broad category that features stories portraying human experiences, emotions, conflicts, and relationships in a realistic and emotionally impactful way. Dramas delve into the complexities of human life, often exploring themes of love, loss, morality, societal issues, personal growth, with the aim to evoke an emotional response from the audience by presenting relatable and thought-provoking stories.

Mahershala Ali and Alex R. Hibbert in Moonlight (2016)

After Raúl's father suffers a stroke, he must rethink his life and choose between following his father's path or forging his own.

Fernando Moya Tirado in El huatrila (2023)

Get a closer look at some of Hollywood's perfect pairs.

Hollywood Power Couples

Get a closer look at some of Hollywood&#39;s perfect pairs.

See which big screen releases you can watch from the comfort of your couch.

Theatrical Releases Coming to Streaming

Get a closer look at these actors from their many TV and streaming series roles.

Streaming Stars, Then and Now

Thiago Amaro and Amiel Cayo in El huatrila (2023)

El huatrila

Photos6

Top Cast5

User reviews1

Related interests

Storyline

Top picks

Details

Tech specs

Contribute to this page

More to explore

Recently viewed