Queridos compañeros

Originally, Pablo de la Barra set out to make a very different film. It was supposed to be the story of two militants, Vicente and José, who sought to support peasant movements during the government of Christian Democrat Eduardo Frei Montalva, the predecessor of Salvador Allende. Conceived as a political thriller somewhat in the style of Costa-Gavras, it was supposed to show how new forms of revolutionary organisations emerged in this period of national disintegration.

Shooting began in the summer of ’73 but it was interrupted by the Tanquetazo of 29 June. The team wanted to film the events and join demonstrations against this act of aggression and so filming resumed until the putsch of 11 September. In the aftermath, production was cancelled. 

Only in 1976, the materials filmed could be sent to Venezuela where de la Barra finished it in this hybrid style. The fictional material now becomes a reason to reflect on the Unidad Popular period, especially the illusions – if not outright mistakes – made by a Left unwilling to believe what their opponents were willing to and indeed would do. Queridos compañeros became one of the last exile films to begin production in Chile.

– Olaf Möller

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