Even the rain - Film Education

[Pages:6]Even the Rain

? Dogwoof

Directed by: Ic?ar Bolla?n Certificate: 15 Running time: 103 mins Language: Spanish Release date: January 2011 Suitable for: This study guide is designed for students of Spanish at ages 15?19



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SYNOPSIS Obsessive idealist Sebasti?n has sworn to direct a film about one of the world's most iconic figures, Christopher Columbus. He is determined to overturn the myth of the arrival of western civilisation in the Americas as a force for good. His film will show what Columbus set in motion: the obsession with gold, the taking of slaves, and the terrible violence visited on those Indians who fought back.

The brilliant actor playing Columbus constantly challenges the director, accusing him of hypocrisy and cheap manipulation. Costa, Sebasti?n's friend and producer, doesn't give a damn. All that matters is that the film comes in on time and within budget. Costa decided they would shoot in Bolivia, the cheapest, most `Indian' of Latin American countries.

While the shoot progresses in and around the city of Cochabamba, civil and political unrest simmer, as the entire water supply of the city is privatised and sold to a British/American multinational. Violence increases daily until the entire city explodes in the now infamous Bolivian Water War ? a war that actually took place in April 2000. Five hundred years after Columbus, sticks and stones once again confront the high-tech weaponry of a modern army. David against Goliath. Only this time the fight is not over gold, but the simplest of life-giving elements ? water.

BEFORE WATCHING THE FILM

1. Match the words with their English translation

1. esclavizar

a.

2. la explotaci?n

b.

3. la mano de obra

c.

4. pisar tierra firme

d.

5. ganarse la vida

e.

6. la embarcaci?n

f.

7. la raza ind?gena

g.

8. la pobreza

h.

9. privar a alguien de algo

i.

10. la manifestaci?n

j.

11. el disturbio

k.

12. estar detenido

l.

boat demonstration exploitation native race poverty riot to be under arrest to deprive someone of something to earn a living to enslave to reach land work force



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The DISCOVERY OF AMERICA The conquest of the Americas by Europeans, mainly Spanish, is known as the discovery of America.

Put these events related to the discovery of America in chronological order:

1. 1436-1456

a. Col?n volvi? a viajar a Am?rica.

2. 1483 3. 1486 4. 3/08/1492 5. 12/10/1492 6. 14/10/1492 7. 1493, 1498 y 1502 8. 20/05/1506

b. Crist?bal Col?n escribi? sobre esclavizar a los indios ta?nos de Guanahan?.

c. Crist?bal Col?n muri? en Valladolid sin saber que hab?a llegado a un continente desconocido por los europeos.

d. Crist?bal Col?n parti? del Puerto de Palos en tres embarcaciones: La Nina, La pinta y la Santa Mar?a.

e. Crist?bal Col?n pis? tierra firme en una isla llamada Guanahan?, que se rebautiz? como "San Salvador", en las Bahamas.

f. Naci? Crist?bal Col?n, aunque no se sabe con seguridad si fue en Italia, Espa?a o Portugal.

g. Ofreci? sin ?xito su proyecto de llegar a las Indias al monarca de Portugal.

h. Ofreci? su proyecto a la reina Isabel de Castilla y obtuvo la financiaci?n necesaria.



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Relationship between the Indians and the European settlers The discovery of America and the contact between Europeans and Native Americans had several consequences. Use the verbs in brackets in the correct form of the past tense to complete the following sentences:

a. Miles de ind?genas__________ a causa de las enfermedades trasmitidas por los europeos como la viruela y el tifus. (morir)

b. __________a Europa una multitud de alimentos desarrollados por las culturas americanas como el ma?z, la calabaza, el tomate, el chocolate y la patata. (importarse)

c. Los espa?oles __________del oro y la plata que encontraron en el nuevo mundo. (apropiarse)

d. La corona de Castilla y Arag?n __________en una de las coronas m?s ricas del mundo. (convertirse)

d. Crist?bal Col?n __________ y __________ miles de ind?genas. (esclavizar, explotar)

e. La religi?n oficial de las tierras conquistadas __________el catolicismo. (ser)

f. En 1511 Fray Antonio de Montesinos __________un serm?n en contra de la esclavitud de los indios. (pronunciar)

g. Fray Bartolom? de las Casas tambi?n __________ por la defensa de los indios y se le __________ "protector universal de todos los indios". (luchar, nombrar)

Positive and negative consequences of the discovery of America Discuss in pairs: was the discovery of America a positive or negative event for humanity? You may need to research the topic. Use the following expressions during the conversation:

En primer lugar, hay que reconocer que... En mi opini?n.../para m?... Sin lugar a dudas... Estoy a favor/en contra... No comparto tu opini?n... Esa afirmaci?n me parece un tanto ambigua... Ser?a ingenuo creer que... No podemos negar el hecho de que... Estoy de acuerdo hasta cierto punto, sin embargo... Perm?teme citar el ejemplo de... Tambi?n me gustar?a hacer hincapi? en...



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After watching the film

Between reality and fiction Even the Rain mixes reality and fiction, and features a film-within-a-film. The director has focused on the topic of the discovery of America, told from a perspective that perhaps challenges familiar representations.

The director uses different ways to tell the story of Sebasti?n's film. Make a list of examples of all the different ways this is done. For example: the actors talking about the film at dinner.

What do you think the director intended to convey by using the device of a film-within-a-film?

How do you feel when the images from Sebasti?n's film appear? What can you say about the scene transitions?

In your opinion, are there any parallels between Daniel and Hatuei (Daniel's character in Sebasti?n's film)? Compare the characters.

What other parallels or contrasts can you find between Sebasti?n's film and the events of the water war?

Summary Complete the following sentences using the words in the box to complete a summary of the film.

explotar disturbios

mano de obra esclavizar

privar pobreza

ind?gena detenido

a. Costa y Sebasti?n deciden rodar su pel?cula en Cochabamba porque all? la __________ es muy barata.

b. Cochabamba es una ciudad donde hay mucha __________.

c. Daniel interpreta a Hatuei, un l?der de raza __________ que lider? la lucha contra los conquistadores espa?oles.

d. En la pel?cula, Crist?bal Col?n quiere __________ a los indios y __________ sus recursos.

e. Durante el rodaje, Daniel participa en manifestaciones y __________, y por eso est? __________.

f. Una compa??a de agua extranjera quiere __________ del agua a los indios.



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Your opinions

What parallels do you see between the discovery of America and the Water War?

What do you think about the fact that Sebasti?n and Costa choose Cochabamba because the extras are cheap?

Do you believe that the characters of Costa and Sebasti?n change through the film? Give examples.

What do you think is the significance of the present Daniel gives to Costa?

Written by Mar?a Gonz?lez Fuentes

? Dogwoof



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