The Colors of the Mountain

 

A promising debut from first time Columbian writer/director Carlos César Arbeláez, The Colors of the Mountain is a touching, sometimes humorous, and ultimately powerful story about the effect of conflict on the lives of ordinary people.

Manuel lives with his hard-working farmer parents in a mountainous region of the Colombian countryside heavily populated by violent guerrilla warriors. Avid soccer players, Manuel and his group of friends dream of playing professionally. For his ninth birthday, Manuel receives a prized soccer ball from his father, but an unfortunate incident leaves their new ball in a minefield. Manuel must enlist the help of his friends to retrieve the ball, despite the very real, and very near danger.

Featuring an emotional performance by child actor Hernán Mauricio Ocampo against the breathtaking mountains of rural Columbia, Arbeláez largely keeps the brutalities of war in the background.   Winner of the New Director’s Award at the San Sebastian Film Festival, The Colors of the Mountain solidifies César Arbeláez as one to watch for future projects.

Print Source: Film Movement, Rebeca Conget, rebeca@filmmovement.com