Madison Reed

I really enjoyed this film Guzmans style is thoughtful yet poetic. He focuses on a lot of themes throughout the film, hence the title, memory is a big one. The use of dissolves between Battle of Chile and Obstinate Memory show how much time has passed between Chile and its people. Guzman uses memory as a political act almost like resisting the state imposed amnesia. The shot of the balcony where Allende and his wife used to stand and wave, was now destroyed and forgotten, never rebuilt and Guzman does a time lapse between then and now. The film is a reminder that just because a regime falls doesn’t mean the history vanished. The use of younger Chileans and really focusing on their emotions as well as how angry they were about not being taught or told this history shows how people are trying to leave it in the past. The film also questions whether Chile can move forward without acknowledging its past, interviews with the people who were in Battle of Chile was very moving you can clearly see its very emotional and hard for people to think or talk about. The scene with the woman who lost basically her whole family was very touching and sad, especially when she said she didn’t know if that was her in the Battle of Chile, you can see there is still fear instilled in her from Battle of Chile days. Chile, Obstinate Memory was very great and powerful it urges viewers to face an uncomfortable truth and shows the importance of storytelling in preserving history.