• Director: Iciar Bollain
• Writer: Paul Laverty
• Cast: Luis Tosar, Gael García Bernal, Juan Carlos Aduviri, Karra Elejalde, Raúl Arévalo
• Theatrical Release Date:
• Criticwire: B-
• On The Web IMDB Entry

Synopsis: In February and March of 2000, protests broke out daily in Cochabamba, Bolivia, in response to the government’s decision to privatize the water company. The cost of water went up by up by 300 per cent. Iciar Bollain’s latest feature, "Even the Rain", tells the story of a film crew that arrives right at this tense juncture of the city’s history.

Filmmaker Sebastian (Gael García Bernal) arrives in Cochabamba accompanied by a cast and crew ready to make a film about Columbus’s first voyage to the New World and the subsequent subjugation of the indigenous population. Sebastian wants to focus on the experience of Bartolome de las Casas, who was so distraught over the treatment of the natives that he dedicated the rest of his life to their cause. His producer Costa (Luis Tosar) has chosen Bolivia, the poorest country in South America, because it makes sense economically. Extras are willing to work long hours for just two dollars a day.

Sebastian casts local man Daniel in the role of Hatuey, the Taino chief who led a rebellion against the Spaniards. Daniel is also one of the leaders in the demonstrations against the water hikes. Intercutting footage of Sebastien’s film with recordings of the actual protests, the lines between fiction and reality, past and present, are efficiently blurred.

Effective on many levels, this film within a film draws subtle parallels between the exploitation of the past and the continued exploitation of Latin America by richer countries and multinational corporations. Bollaín’s thoughts on the introspection inherent in filmmaking, or in any work of art, are expressed through Sebastian. He has only the best intentions of denouncing the injustices of the past, but little patience for the present dilemma, especially when it starts to impede his shooting schedule.

"Even the Rain" is a film about hope. Focusing on the continuing exploitation of Latin America, Bollaín shows the inspirational change that is possible when people band together to fight injustice. [Synopsis courtesy of Diana Sanchez, Toronto International Film Festival]