«Los Buscadores»: Homeric adventure in Paraguay

Neuchâtel International Fantastic Film Festival (NIFFF) - Hélène Lavoyer

On the streets of Asunción, Paraguay, Manu (Tomás Arredondo) delivers newspapers for a few pennies. A few days before his death, his grandfather gives him a book, inside the cover of which he discovers a map. After some investigation, there’s no doubt about it: this map leads to a treasure—at least in part. Manu and his friend Fito (Christian Ferreira) drag Don Elio (Mario Toñanez), a history buff and former treasure hunter, and Ilu (Cecilia Torres) on an adventure that will take them from hope to discovery and force them to use cunning and intelligence to achieve their goals.

A masterful soundtrack and visuals

Throughout this adventure film, the viewer’s attention is riveted on the action, which never seems to let up. The streets of Asención—a brand-new discovery for anyone who has never set foot in the city—are charming in their dilapidation, yet they serve as a reminder that these people’s quality of life is not on par with that of a contemporary Swiss citizen. Juan Carlos Maneglia and Tana Schembori offer beautiful scenes with natural colors, such as the one where Manu and Fito, feeling dejected, share a cup of mate with a view of Asención under a blue sky in the background.

As for the soundtrack, it’s hard to find fault with composer Derlis A. Gonzàlez or the musicians of the National Symphony Orchestra of Paraguay. In both the composition and the performance, the tension rises and falls, constantly coming to life in step with this gripping, epic—and at times slightly commanding—music. The chase scenes are gripping thanks to the rhythms that the viewer follows—the viewer, too, is an active and present participant in the adventure, eagerly awaiting the next challenge.

Famous People

Sometimes incredible storylines are let down by a lack of character development. In Los Buscadores, All of them were explored and fleshed out before filming began. Each of the characters involved in this treasure hunt is unique, and their distinct traits allow the group to continue the adventure. Manu is a simple, determined, and playful young man; while Fito’s friend is in debt, cheerful, and energetic. And the two lift each other up in this adventure, where the treasure is merely a pretext for breaking free from the routines of their lives and the flood threatening the city and its people.

Alongside the four main characters are Manu’s grandmother and mother, his little brother, a coworker of Ilu’s—so mean and ridiculous that you end up hating her—another servant, the head of security at the South African embassy where the treasure is buried. And each of them, through their roles—which are never trivial—brings a touch of humor, danger, or mystery, particularly Don Elio, who never fails to provide the missing detail needed to keep the quest going.

Lighthearted and pleasant humor

The characters also convey a lighthearted, carefree, and daring sense of humor that reflects the youthfulness of most of them. Ilu’s misunderstanding and mistrust of Manu are sure to bring a smile, but it’s also due to the dynamic between the characters: without Manu’s repeated, sometimes grotesque advances, she wouldn’t have the chance to tell him to get lost. The final scene is funny and cleverly turns the tables, subjecting the characters to yet another challenge—this time a pointless one.

All in all, it is by presenting the adventure and the treasure hunt as an episode in the characters’ lives—and not as their entire lives (This is the case in Indiana Jones (for example) that it becomes possible to understand how they live outside of the adventure as well—not only through their well-developed personalities, but also through a variety of settings and by allowing Manu, Ilu, Fito, and Don Elio to test their abilities in various ways.

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Photo credit: © NIFFF