Machuca

Machuca

Year: 2004

Runtime: 116 mins

Language: Spanish

Director: Andrés Wood

DramaPolitics and human rightsMoving relationship storiesRiveting political and presidential dramaStudent coming-of-age challenges

In 1970s Santiago, during Salvador Allende’s socialist presidency, Father McEnroe opens St. Patrick’s Catholic prep school to admit a handful of working‑class children. Pedro Machuca, the son of a cleaning lady, befriends Gonzalo Infante, a wealthy liberal’s son. Their friendship endures the 1973 Pinochet coup, which topples Allende, ousts supporters like McEnroe, and shatters the fragile bridge between their disparate worlds.

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Timeline & Setting – Machuca (2004)

Explore the full timeline and setting of Machuca (2004). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

Early 1970s

Chile in the early 1970s is marked by rising social tensions as Allende’s socialist reforms meet strong opposition from the right. The country experiences protests, labor strikes, and political paranoia that color everyday life in urban centers. Amid this climate, families navigate changing loyalties and the looming threat of disruption, culminating in the 1973 military coup that reshapes society.

Location

Santiago, Chile

Set in urban Santiago, the film contrasts a well-off private school with a nearby shantytown. The school hosts a bold social integration project led by Father McEnroe, while the surrounding neighborhoods reveal stark poverty and inequality. The urban setting acts as a microcosm of a country teetering between reform and upheaval.

🌆 Urban Santiago 🏫 Private School 🏚️ Shantytown

Last Updated: October 03, 2025 at 14:11

Main Characters – Machuca (2004)

Meet the key characters of Machuca (2004), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Gonzalo Infante (Matías Quer)

A 12-year-old from a comfortable, upper-class upbringing who becomes immersed in a world of inequality. He forms a thoughtful, sometimes conflicted bond with peers from a different social stratum, showing sensitivity beyond privilege. His perspective shifts as political events unfold, testing loyalties and curiosity.

🎯 Protagonist 🧒 Child 💼 Privileged upbringing

Pedro Machuca (Ariel Mateluna)

An Indigenous boy from a poorer neighborhood who forms a close friendship with Gonzalo while facing regular derision from wealthier classmates. He reveals resilience and warmth, serving as a bridge between two worlds. His experiences highlight poverty, prejudice, and the human cost of political upheaval.

👦 Working-class 🧭 Outsider 💪 Resilient

Silvana (Manuela Martelli)

A neighbor who becomes a companion to Gonzalo and Pedro, navigating loyalty, friendship, and danger. Her presence challenges class assumptions and personal choices, adding tenderness amid social tension. She embodies both vulnerability and courage in a divided city.

👧 Street-smart 🤝 Friend 🌸 Compassion

Father McEnroe (Ernesto Malbrán)

A determined priest and head of the private school who launches the social integration project, turning the school into a stage for reform and controversy. His ideals collide with entrenched interests, and when political winds shift, the project is threatened and ultimately removed from the school.

🕊️ Priest 🎯 Reformist 🏫 Education

Patricio Infante (Francisco Reyes)

Gonzalo’s father, outwardly supportive of reform but cautious about how far change should go. He balances empathy with prudence as his son encounters new ideas and a changing society. His stance reflects the divided attitudes of the upper class toward upheaval.

💼 Father 🧭 Cautious

Maria Luisa Infante (Aline Küppenheim)

Gonzalo’s mother, resigned to the state of affairs yet carrying private contradictions, including a relationship with a wealthy Argentinean man. She embodies privilege while witnessing the tensions and consequences of social change. Her perspective demonstrates the complexities of adapting to a shifting world.

👩 Mother 💎 Privilege 🗣️ Complicity

Last Updated: October 03, 2025 at 14:11

Major Themes – Machuca (2004)

Explore the central themes of Machuca (2004), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

🧱 Class Divide

Machuca juxtaposes Gonzalo’s comfortable upbringing with Pedro’s poverty, showing how wealth structures opportunities and biases. The private school’s integration project exposes both sides to each other’s realities, while provoking tension among adults who fund or oppose it. Small moments of shared curiosity reveal the fragility and complexity of social bonds under pressure.

👥 Friendship

Gonzalo and Pedro form an unlikely bond born of shared interests and curiosity, challenging rigid social codes. Silvana’s presence adds a layer of tenderness and risk to their alliance. The friendship endures in private moments even as public conflict threatens to pull them apart.

🗳️ Politics

The film situates personal lives within a combustible political landscape: Allende’s presidency, anti-communist sentiment, and mass demonstrations. Political upheaval seeps into the school and streets, altering loyalties and opportunities. The coup marks a turning point that tests the resilience of friendships and the safety of families.

🏛️ Authority & Education

Father McEnroe’s integration project makes the school a battleground for social change, with the garden failing and funding at risk illustrating how institutions are pressured by politics. Parents’ debates reflect competing visions of reform and order. The upheaval leads to expulsions and resignations, showing how education becomes both tool and casualty in times of crisis.

Last Updated: October 03, 2025 at 14:11

Unlock the Full Story of Machuca

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Machuca Summary

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Machuca Summary

Machuca Timeline

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Machuca Timeline

More About Machuca

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