Dec. 2007. Nicolás, in his early twenties, still has his life ahead of him. He is part of the European student elite, lives in Paris and is currently studying for a Master’s degree in architecture in London.
Then, in “Concert for a Single Voice” by Peruvian Alejandra Carpio Valdeavellano, he is suddenly caught up in the past. Shortly before Christmas, he learns that his mother Diana has been released in Lima after serving 18 years for membership in an organization that fought against the Peruvian government.
But Nicolás has inherited the family home in Lima, the sale of which could finance his studies. He just has to fly there and sign a few papers, even though that means he will see Diana again. Nicolás is still seething with resentment towards Diana because she puts her political ideals above motherhood. Or: “You said you were fighting for a better life for Peruvian children,” he accuses Diana. “You wanted to give ME something better!” says Nicolás, finally giving vent to his suppressed anger.
“Concert for a Single Voice” is presented this week at Sanfic Industria’s Ibero-American WIP, a show featuring 10 reworked tracks from Latin America and Spain. On the one hand, it explores the collateral damage suffered by the families of activists who fought against Peruvian government forces and how the consequences of the conflict continue to reverberate today.
More importantly, though, in Nicolás’s rebuke and Diana’s explanation of why she joined a terrorist organization – “I couldn’t remain indifferent in the face of so much suffering,” she says – “Concert” suggests that everyone can have their reasons: No one is completely wrong. And if they are, they may simply be ill-informed.
“Despite everything that can divide us, people are capable of forging connections, no matter how different we are or how opposing our ideas,” says Carpio. diversity.
“Concert” was produced by Peru’s Invisible Producciones and stars Paris-based Peruvian Denzel Calle (“Mont Blanc”), Monserrat Brugué (“Princesas”) and Paul Vega (“La Restauración”). Producers Norma Velásquez and Carpio, who have received funding from Ibermedia and the Peruvian Ministry of Culture, are currently working in partnership with Cyriac Aurial at France’s Rémora Films to finance the film’s completion and plan a European release.
diversity spoke with Carpio ahead of Sanfic Industria’s Ibero-American Work in Progress, which begins on August 20 in Santiago de Chile.
“Concierto Para Una Sola Voz” contradicts its title by suggesting that many people can have reasons for their behavior. No one has a monopoly on the truth. Could you comment on that?
I believe that reality in general is quite complex. We always find that there are different ways of seeing the past, the facts and history. But when we talk about an internal war like the one in Peru, the level of complexity is much greater. Despite this, there are different power groups in Peru that try to impose a single truth, a hegemonic discourse on our history. These discourses present a partial truth, make only one side visible and attack those who deal with the truth. Trying to speak of a single truth means denying “the other” (the other person).
The film begins refreshingly in France, as the viewer takes on Nicolas’s perspective on Diana. His explanation of her torture in prison is also the audience’s.
Exactly. The film shows us how Nicolás discovers that the truth he knows is only a part. He also discovers information that makes him question his own personal history. At the same time, he discovers his country’s past from different points of view, and the viewer accompanies him in understanding this complexity.
Can you place your film in the context of Peruvian cinema? Have there been many films about Sendero Luminoso, its members and the treatment they received from state security forces?
Over the last 40 years, there have been several films and audiovisual works that have addressed the theme of armed conflict. I believe that Concert For A Single Voice is set in a moment when new ways of looking at the conflict are being proposed. No longer from the time, but from the present, from our attitude to the conflict today, as time passes but some wounds are still open. These new ways of looking at it also seek more personal narratives from the familiar, the everyday, the intimate.
What guidelines, if any, did you have for directing “Concierto”?
I think the most important thing was to convey closeness to the characters, situations that felt very everyday and very real, especially in the context of family conflict. Our family relationships are always full of everyday details, food, jokes, small negotiations. My compass was to focus on those details.
One might think that in some Latin American countries, such as Brazil, a new generation of female directors is just beginning to emerge. Would that also be the case in Peru?
Absolutely. Peruvian cinema has produced several female directors who have paved the way for several decades. In recent years, Peruvian cinema has won important international awards thanks to female filmmakers such as Claudia Llosa, Melina León and many others. I believe that women filmmakers in Peru are gradually finding their way, although still with difficulties, but through mutual support and collaboration, for example through NUNA, the Association of Peruvian Women Directors, they are growing a lot. Collaboration and networks between women contribute a lot to the development of films made by women. However, there is still a long way to go before we are truly representative.
“Concierto” takes place partly in France. But how was it financed?
The film was almost 100% financed by cinematographic arts grants from the Peruvian Ministry of Culture. We tried to get financing in France, but unfortunately we didn’t get it. Shooting in France was difficult because our budget was very low, so we had to do magic to make the filming schedule work there. We even shot in the Paris metro without permission, but we were able to take advantage of the context of the World Cup and the distraction of the security guards on the metro. We had a lot of anecdotes, all for the love of cinema.
