Unraveling a Tragic Tale: "Landmarks" by Lucrecia Martel Explores Murder and Prejudice

Argentinian filmmaker Lucrecia Martel needs no introduction. Having carved a niche for herself in the world of cinema over the last 25 years, her latest offering, "Landmarks," enters the realm of nonfiction production. This potent documentary delves into an unnerving murder mystery, steeped in colonialist entitlement and bias, asking its audience for patience as it gradually intensifies to deliver a powerful emotional outpouring and a panoramic perception of Latin American history.

Scheduled to make ripples across the festival circuit post its non-competition premiere at Venice, the documentary ensures captivating audiences with its simplified storytelling approach and focused political commentary. "Landmarks" is devoid of any convoluted methods, making its substantive content easy to grasp without prior awareness of Martel's previous works.

The film opens with an unexpected cosmic sequence showcasing Earth from a satellite's perspective, gradually transitioning to green landscapes and makeshift football ground of northwest Argentina's Tucumán Province. Historically home to the Indigenous Chuschagasta community, the area has witnessed prolonged land disputes with European settlers.

The film centralizes around the 2009 murder case of 68-year-old Chuschagasta community leader Javier Chocobar, slain by wealthy local landowner Dario Luis Amín, Luis Humberto Gómez, and José Valdivieso. The film vividly showcases the tragic culmination of a longstanding disagreement over ancestral land rights.

Martel, however, does not dive deep into trial procedures, leaving the audience to decipher the complexities of the case and identify the rightful party. It keenly examines the affected Chuschagasta community, specifically Chocobar's wife Antonia, who lucidly speaks about her life as an Indigenous woman within the Argentine population.

Initially conceived as a blend of Chocobar's tale and other elements, "Landmarks" eventually took shape as a direct documentary, portraying the stark facts of the case. The movie makes apt use of drone photography, offering an omnipotent view of the disputed land that persists irrespective of its discordant claimants.