Section 9: Epilogue

The film ends with shots of a Guarani child surveying the effects of the holocaust and then joining her companions after retrieving a shattered violin from the river. The group of children slowly paddle away down the river. The credits begin to roll, prefaced by a message from the director concerning the plight of the Indians today and a quote from the Book of John. A surprise shot of Altamirano appears after the credits.

 

The spirit of the dead will survive in the memory of the living.

View the clip for the questions below.

1. At what angle is the young girl initially filmed?
Why?

2. Why does the girl retrieve the violin in preference to the gilded cross?

3. Detail the edits and camera movements used.
Try to explain why the scene is edited in this way.

4. What is on the sound track in this scene and why?

5. Comment on what the Cardinal says and what is printed on the screen with reference to the relevance of both today.
As background you may want to read the article which includes reference to liberation theology.

6. Of what significance is the quote from John?

5. Why do you think Altamirano finishes the letter himself?

6. What do you think the close-up of Altamirano at the end is supposed to say to us?

7. What are the first and last shots of the film?

8. Comment on the cyclical nature of the film.

9. Do you think the message of this film is pessimistic or optimistic? Consider the text from John that appears on the screen at the end of the film.

10. In about 100 words give your personal response to the film as a whole. What did you like? What didn't you like?