The childlike innocence and playfulness of Raíz (Through Rocks and Clouds) is enjoyable, but its depiction of tradition fighting modernisation is frustratingly meagre.
The year is 2017. A small farming community in the remote regions of the Andes face serious issues: an intimidating mining company wants to buy their sacred land. This is the biggest concern for most of the villagers, apart from one. For youngster Feliciano (Alberth Merma), his major anxiety is whether Peru will qualify for the 2018 FIFA World Cup. Amidst days of herding alpacas with his trusty dog, he listens to matches on the radio and pores over magazines. This wonderful innocence and naivety is the undercurrent to Raíz (Through Rocks and Clouds), giving a classic story a new twist, but despite this refreshing nature, the film struggles to maintain interest in its undercooked story and characters.
Feliciano shares a loving relationship with his anxiety-ridden parents, but his closest colleagues on his days in the mountains are his dog, Rambo, and favourite alpaca, Ronaldo. As he muses on the best formation of the Peruvian football team or chats tactics with Ronaldo, his parents face the threat of the mining company, who even go so far as to slash the throats of some alpacas as a warning. This clash of traditional and modernisation that Raíz presents is nothing new in cinema—one of the best examples of recent years is Bait (2019)—and it is therefore important to portray it in a way that is engaging.
Raíz, unfortunately, struggles to do this, not because the setting and context isn’t interesting, but because of underdeveloped characters and a scattered, erratic plot. We see little of Feliciano’s parents. When we do, their sense of anxiety and fear, along with their love for their traditional values and heritage, is obvious, but they are little more than mouthpieces for such concerns, as opposed to fully-formed characters. In general, whilst we see the trio’s warmth, the parents are too one-note to help build the onscreen familial life enough. Similarly, the folklorish elements of Raíz are sporadic and jarring in their inclusion, and by the time a community uprising takes place near the end, the power and energy which should be there is nonexistent. Director Franco García Becerra seems unsure how to coalesce these promising parts into something well-rounded or impactful.
We see little of Feliciano’s parents. When we do, their sense of anxiety and fear, along with their love for their traditional values and heritage, is obvious, but they are little more than mouthpieces for such concerns, as opposed to fully-formed characters. In general, whilst we see the trio’s warmth, the parents are too one-note to help build the onscreen familial life enough. Similarly, the folklorish elements of Raíz are sporadic and jarring in their inclusion, and by the time a community uprising takes place near the end, the power and energy which should be there is nonexistent. Director Franco García Becerra seems unsure how to coalesce these promising parts into something well-rounded or impactful.
Whilst Raíz might be underdeveloped, it still zips along with a spritely charm. Merma is the main reason for this; the youngster gives a magnetic performance, combining playful comedy with a more serious, mature-beyond-his-years tone. In addition, the Peruvian landscape becomes a strong character too, with Becerra drawing great beauty and history from the mountainous region, which in turn infuses Raíz with real poignancy and organic warmth.
Surprisingly, the most exciting part of Raíz is whether Peru will qualify for the World Cup, alongside the antics that Feliciano gets up to, such as cutting the fur on his alpaca’s head in the hairstyle of his favourite footballer. One particularly striking moment sees Feliciano exploring an abandoned classroom and then playing football with friends—but it’s a daydream as opposed to reality. This scene hits at something deeper—the effect of modernisation and industrialisation on societies and their children—but is too fleeting and underexplored. These sorts of frustrating issues are rife throughout Raíz.
Raíz (Through Rocks and Clouds) premiered at the 2024 Berlin Film Festival. Read our Berlin Film Festival reviews and our list of 20 films to watch at the Berlin Film Festival!
