
The Territory
2022

2026
Director
Lucrecia Martel
Runtime
119 minutes
Average Rating
No ratings yetSynopsis
In 2009, a man and two accomplices try to evict members of the Indigenous community of Chuschagasta in northern Argentina. Claiming ownership of the land and armed with guns, they kill the community’s leader, Javier Chocobar. The murder is caught on video. It takes nine years of protests before court proceedings are finally opened in 2018. During all this time, the killers remain free. The film combines the voices and photographs of the community with courtroom footage to explore the long history of colonialism and land dispossession that led to this crime.
Overall Score
Good
Category Breakdown
LGBTQ+ Representation
The film focuses on indigenous land rights and legal battles against colonial legacies. There is no explicit evidence of LGBTQ+ characters or narratives within the story.
Gender Representation
While the central figure is a male leader, the film emphasizes the collective voices of the Chuschagasta community. This suggests a broader agency that likely includes women.
Racial & Ethnic Diversity
The documentary provides exceptional representation by centering an Indigenous community. It grants the Chuschagasta people agency through their own voices and photographs rather than treating them as passive subjects.
Religious & Cultural Diversity
The narrative prioritizes a deconstruction of colonial history and systemic oppression. It portrays state institutions as biased by highlighting the long delay in achieving justice for the community.
Disability Representation
There is no information available regarding the portrayal of characters with physical or neurodivergent disabilities in this film.
Strengths
Areas for Improvement
AI Analysis
Lucrecia Martel’s documentary is a profound critique of systemic power dynamics. By centering indigenous agency and utilizing a non-linear exploration of historical trauma, the film disrupts conventional documentary tropes. The work moves beyond mere reportage to offer a sophisticated deconstruction of the colonial legacy in Latin America. It prioritizes the perspectives of the historically marginalized over the structures of the state. While the film excels in racial and cultural representation, it remains focused on ethnic and systemic struggles rather than gender identity or sexual orientation.

2022

2016

2006

2023

2019

2008

2007

2009

2019

2019

2016

2013
No reviews yet. Be the first to share your thoughts on this movie!
Use the rating form above to leave a star rating and optional review.