Machuca is a coming-of-age drama film directed by Andrés Wood. The film is set in Santiago, Chile, in the year 1973, when Chile was in the midst of political turmoil due to the socialist government of President Salvador Allende. The protagonist of the movie is Gonzalo Infante, a young boy from a wealthy conservative family who attends a Catholic prep school.
One day Father McEnroe, a priest at St. Patrick's school, introduces a program to admit some poor students from the slums of Santiago for free. Pedro Machuca is one of the poor students who is admitted to the school. Gonzalo and Pedro become good friends, despite their different backgrounds and social classes. Pedro lives in a small slum and works with his mother, who is a cleaner in Gonzalo's house.
As Gonzalo and Pedro get closer, they start spending more and more time together, exploring each other's worlds. Gonzalo visits Pedro's slum and meets his friends and family, while Pedro visits Gonzalo's home and meets his parents. The two boys experience many of the same things that all children do, including trying new foods, playing video games, and watching movies.
As their friendship develops, the situation in Chile takes a turn for the worse. September 11, 1973, brings the military coup led by General Augusto Pinochet. The new government is hostile to socialists, intellectuals, and anyone who supported Allende's government. The boys' friendship is also affected by the political climate. Gonzalo's conservative family becomes increasingly hostile towards the poor, including Pedro and his family. As the movie progresses, the boys' lives change dramatically.
Machuca is a powerful reminder of how politics can affect the lives of ordinary people, especially children. It is a beautiful and heartbreaking story of friendship, love, and loss in the face of brutality and oppression. The movie highlights how the human heart and soul can often overlook the divide of social, economic, or political differences that often keep them apart and create a bond of love that transcends them.