You are here:

Averno

Name: Averno
Director: Marcos Loayza
Released: 2018
Duration: 87 min

Representation Score

5.7/10

Fair

2018

Director

Marcos Loayza

Runtime

87 minutes

Average Rating

No ratings yet

New Showbiz Analysis

Averno stands out by rejecting Western high-fantasy clichés in favor of Andean mythology. By setting the surreal journey in La Paz, the film highlights indigenous cultural ability to act and non-Western storytelling structures. However, the film focuses mainly on male characters and familial bonds, resulting in limited representation for LGBTQ+ identities and women's ability to drive the story. Overall, the film excels as a culturally specific work that elevates regional myth, despite its narrow focus on certain social identity categories.

Watch this, not that →

Category Breakdown

Does Averno have LGBTQ+ representation?

Fair

The story focuses on the relationship between Tupah and his uncle, without mentioning any LGBTQ+ characters or non-straight identities.

How does Averno portray gender?

Fair

The story centers around a male protagonist and his male relative. While it avoids traditional gender roles, it lacks visible women's ability to drive the story or diverse gender expressions.

How racially and ethnically diverse is Averno?

Excellent

The film centers on the Andean region and the city of La Paz. This approach challenges Eurocentric fantasies by highlighting indigenous cultural ability to act.

How does Averno represent religion and culture?

Excellent

By blending myth and reality, the film emphasizes Andean mythology over Western narratives. It uses surrealism to explore a unique, regional cultural perspective.

Does Averno include disability representation?

Minimal

There is no information about the portrayal of physical, sensory, or neurodivergent disabilities in the film.

Present on Screen

Strong commitment to Andean mythology and indigenous cultural ability to act.
Effective disruption of Eurocentric fantasy clichés through a regional setting.
Unique use of surrealism to explore non-Western narrative frameworks.

Limited or Absent

Lack of visible LGBTQ+ representation or non-straight identities.
Limited gender diversity, focusing primarily on male protagonists and relatives.
Absence of information regarding disability representation.

Official Synopsis

Young bootblack Tupah embarks on a frantic quest to find his uncle, Jacinto, lost in the Averno. In a dangerous journey through the underworld, myth and reality get endlessly intertwined and the death-loaded night in La Paz unveils the darkest and most surreal face of the imaginary of the Andes.

How are these scores produced? →