When a young traveler from Lima by way of Siemens Perú finds himself stranded in the mountain village of Manayaycuna during its religious festivities, a faith like many in New World Hispania melding indigenous rites with Catholic law, he becomes entangled in a web of odd traditions and carnal temptation not seen on the Discovery Channel. That temptation is a shy, songful, very pretty girl on the cusp of womanhood named Madeinusa Machuca, chosen by elders to play the Immaculate Virgin in a series of processions, an honor resented by her bossy younger sister but delighting her dad, also the mayor, who, during "Holy Time" when God is dead and sins not seen, hopes to deflower his first born, a plan that hinges on detaining the handsome intruder who's no designs on the daughter but has not the foresight to see the trouble ahead.
Directed by its writer, Claudia Llosa (b. Lima), Madeinusa is a beautiful movie in many respects, starting with its title character. The face of a model, voice of a child, we're introduced when she opens her box of charms, precious "things" to keep the cold out, dreams in (earrings of a mom long gone are most prized), reminiscent of Scout's version in Mockingbird (62). Cinematographer Raúl Pérez Ureta who, along with Llosa (s/p), would win the Cine Ceará trophy for their respective efforts, includes the Andean Mt grandeur and colorful holiday preparations to enhance this rare view into a world austere & absent modern conveniences yet largely free of commericalism, virgin territory in more ways than one (no AT&T Pepsi). In other respects, Manayaycuna is quite ugly, a too simple, rat infested, male dominated enclave, its foul features treating newcomers as plague and attached addendum to Rome's code that permits excess revelry & deviants their day: dead disrespected (corpse), daughters defiled, prized property stolen with impunity (men pigs), prostitutes paraded for chieftans, not "gringos (racism)."
The actors, mostly unknowns, project authenticity, captivating all the while: Magaly Solier stars (b. Huanta) (Made: "I saw my name on your shirt; Sal: It's not a name; Made: It's my name"); Carlos de la Torre is Salvador, the interloper ("What a **** town!"); Juan Ubaldo Huamán bravely plays the father, he actually a capable mayor, and Yiliana Chong is the sister Chale, runner-up who spews venom like she were forty.
To the ending, I deny it because I don't believe it, an abrupt character reversal (Contact) of a girl who long understood hardship and loss yet had always maintained her hope. Why did the maker do it? Shock value (Vertigo), today's never ending push to empowerment, no matter the cost, or sought to placate with a human sacrifice those she expected to be offended by the first coupling. But I'm taking Father Obosi's advice to Carmela Soprano (Amour Fou): "try to live on the good." Yet, I'm compelled to order contrition: ten Hail Marys, three Our Fathers and dock it one star (3/4).
