From Bolivia comes a film about an impoverished orphan boy haunted by the death of his mother and the desire to seek revenge against the man he believes is his father, who abandoned him and his mother before he was born. Working as a shoeshine boy, Martin (Franklin Aro Huasco) begins to observe and learn from the work and daily activities of a local tailor named Mr. Novoa (Alfredo Castro). Martin’s mother once told him that Novoa was his biological father and her former employer, who took advantage of her and fired her when he learned she was pregnant.
Although Martin wants vengeance and payback for his abandonment, the two men begin to bond, much like the father and son they were meant to be. As part of his vengeance scheme, Martin abducts Novoa’s beloved dog. This plan further complicates matters when it comes time to demand a reward or ransom for the dog’s return because Martin now wishes to remain in Mr. Novoa’s good graces.
Written and directed by Vinko Tomičić Salinas, who co-wrote the film with Sam Haillay, El Ladron De Perros is a fascinating character study of two very different people forming a parental and child bond that they never realized they needed. The story and characters are well-written, but I also feel that the movie is still lacking something. It is somewhat understated, which limits its impact. Nevertheless, I found the story quite intriguing and enjoyed the performances of both Alfredo Castro and Franklin Aro Huasco. This movie was another good offering from the festival that I hope finds its way to more audiences here in the U.S.