Nominee: Drempelprijs Commercial Practices 2020
Mateo is a boy who just lost his mother, she wasn’t only his mother but also the spiritual leader of his tribe. This position has now become vacant and it is up to Mateo to follow in his mother's footsteps and guide his tribe. Being uncertain of his own capabilities the Spirits start to appear. Chased away by them, Mateo pursues on a journey for his own power.
VALOR is an experimental and autonomous coming of age story based on South-American spirituality mixed with Western street culture. Finding inner strength and purpose after loss by accepting one's true self. Without any dialogue throughout the whole movie, all communication is done through dance alone.
Our Chilean nationality was always a major part of the development of my identity. We were raised spiritually and family ties were strong. After the loss of my mother, I lost an important role model, but also a large part of my culture. Family ties watered down and everyone grieved on his/her way. How can the loss of a loved one contribute to the transformation of a new or stronger self-image?
The emptiness was filled by hanging in the street, which made me get into contact with street gangs at a very young age. I tried to establish new family ties within this group. These bonds were strengthened by seeking violence and abusing drug use to escape feelings and responsibilities. The toxic masculinity within the group caused an inner conflict with my sexuality that I started to discover.
Only after acknowledging my unresolved traumas and facing them was I able to accept myself and live without my self-destructive tendencies.
By combining the spirituality of the South-American Mapuche culture with the Western street culture, I want to show how someone grows up and develops their identity between two polarising cultures.
