Letters from Marusia

Miguel Littin looks back at the bloody beginnings of Chile's labour movement in the 1920s. The Marusia Massacre of 1925 was when president Arturo Alessandri ordered the army to slaughter hundreds of workers, ending the saltpetre miners strike. Littin turned this into a drama of groups: it's a film about miners, soldiers and capitalists acting in the interest of big business. The lone individual to stand out is Gregorio, a labour activist played by Gian Maria Volonté. This casting was an obvious point of reference for Littin, Volonté  was a communist and the most famous face of Italy's popular political cinema. Another iconic name found among the crew is Mikis Theodorakis who wrote the music for the film – it evokes the Mexican Revolution-sound of Italian Westerns. Actas de Marusia is a film made in the spirit of international solidarity for a world audience. It's a film about Chile then and now, and about all the other countries where the workers were and are, denied even the most basic rights. So be aware, dear cinephiles: this part of history is of the utmost importance for all of you – nitrate is made out of saltpetre. (International Film Festival Rotterdam)