Devil's Gold
– Devil Gold is director José Novoa's third collaboration with producer Elia Schneider, and like the ..
Devil Gold is director José Novoa's third collaboration with producer Elia Schneider, and like the previous two films, Huelepega (or Glue Sniffer, which Schneider directed in 2000) and Sicario (1994), the film is a thriller-melodrama that focuses on a real-life problem plaguing Venezuela, with an emphasis on how the conditions affect children. Thus, after a few titles explaining the impact that gold mining has had on the country's Amazon region, along with helicopter footage (later to be blended into the narrative) of the ecologically devastated area, the film settles in on the lawless shanty town of Payapal for its narrative. Gallego (Armando Gota) runs the mine, exploiting his cheap labor force. Aroldo (Pedro Lander) breaks into Gallego's safe and steals his gold, along with a good deal of gold that Gallego was holding for his workers. Aroldo involves the unwitting Carmen (Jenny Noguera) in the robbery, and, when they are discovered, he shoots and kills Gallego's young son.
13 Jun 2000
Spanish
Joseph Novoa
Sonia Chocrón
Rocío Miranda, Laureano Olivares, Armando Gota, Pedro Lander
The town of Papayal is located in the Amazon jungle. It is ruled by violence, greed and vice. It has grown around mines where gold is extracted, and where mercury has severely destroyed the environment. Apart from the local bar and brothel, the settlers have nothing to do but work on the mines. Every once in a while a man called Fellini arrives and projects films. One day the mother of teenager Isabel and her lover steal the gold from miner El Gallego and flee from Papayal. The girl is forced to pay their debt, by working on the brothel. Isabel tries to escape, but she is caught by the police, and meets Cae, a young man who is bought by a trader to work in the gold mines. Back on Papayal, Isabel falls in love with Cae, who tells her that both her mother and her lover have been killed.
1 nomination.