Eldorado XXI Film Difficulty Ranking: 5
The American West is still alive today in Peru. Migrants from across the country are flocking to the highest settlement in the world for their ‘American dream’ (their rags to riches story). However, the only thing most people find is an incredibly harsh landscape. Check it out below.
Why Watch Eldorado XXI?
- You’re into ‘Slow Film‘ and want to see more!
- To see a film from Peru – and our first feature from this diverse South American country on FilmRoot
- Experience a little of Peruvian mountain life
- If you’re fascinated by the American West and the Gold Rush
The Breakdown
ElDorado XXI starts with a 25 minute still shot of miners walking up and down a mountain in the darkness. All you can make out is the vague silhouette of their bodies and the mountain from their headlamps. Whilst we watch these miners ramble up and down in the dark we hear the story of one of them.
One of them arrived at Rinconada (the mine) a few months ago after they hit bankruptcy in the city. They heard the rags to riches stories of people finding gold at the Rinconada mine and followed their version of the ‘American dream.’
Unfortunately for them, finding riches was not as easy as in the stories they had heard. They were homeless for parts and had to spend months away from their children, left with relatives in the city. The only thing they could do was work for longer and pray for luck.
That’s when you hear some strange stories about superstitions and rituals that some of the miners use to help their luck. Sacrificing Alpaca fetuses apparently bring luck, but a human fetus would ‘be more effective’. Welcome to the Peruvian wild west!
Conclusion
Eldorado XXI gives you an idea of what life is like in the Peruvian mountains – the modern equivalent of the American wild-west. People flock to this beautiful landscape in search of quick riches, but most of them never strike gold. You’ll see the life and community these migrants have formed and hear of the weird rituals that they try to boost their luck. Well worth a watch.
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