Film Response questions/Discussion for Even the Rain

Keep in mind that your response should NOT simply be a re-narration of the film’s plot or a summary of the assigned reading. A higher grade will be awarded to responses that demonstrate your ability to provide original interpretation of the film while also applying relevant concepts, issues, and theories covered in the course.

1. How does the film Even the Rain portray the process of financing and filming a movie? What message(s) does the film transmit with regard to the role of cinema in contemporary society? What dos the film have to say about the artist’s social responsibility?
2. What are the conflicts between the director (Sebastián) and the producer (Costa) in the first part of the film? How does Costa change during the film? Why do you think he changes?
3. What are some of the cultural clashes or conflicts in the film? How does the movie represent these conflicts? How would you explain the film’s title “Even the Rain”?

   and short peer review on this one：
   1. I think in this movie specifically, the financing and filming of the movie is portrayed as complicated, when comparing it to other films. Being in the woods where they were, provided filming challenges that would not be faced with some movies. Having to walk a long ways just to do certain scenes, and the directors and producers themselves had to travel to Bolivia from their homes to film the movie in the mountains. They also had to struggle with finding the extras, picking the extras and then the whole ordeal with Daniel and the water crisis of the area. The film portrays the financial aspects of filming a movie as complicated as well. The viewers learn that the extras are only getting paid $2 a day to film their parts, this is the standard day wage of the area. But we also know that the directors have plenty of money that they could be paying the extras more. The more important characters are treated with nice places to stay, fancy dinners, and of course plenty of water/ booze. The extras stay in their homes and continue to struggle with an ‘actors’ wage. There are also many scenes where the directors pay off people or use their money to get what they want. This shows that they have extra money they could be paying the extras with. This gives the message that the film is more important to the directors than the lives of the extras. To Sebastian especially, this film is his life and is more important than other people even having water for their children. There are many instances where Sebastian chooses his film over the wellbeing of others. This continues to portray that the artist (Sebastian) feels he has no social responsibility to the lives of the people working for him. When Belen was hurt, Sebastian automatically chose his movie over the girls life. On the other hand Costa decided to help the girl and he kept his moral and social responsibility in tact and bettered someones life.2In the beginning of the film there is little conflict between Sebastian and Costa. As Costa’s boss, Sebastian knew he had the power to boss Costa around, and he did. The viewer immediately knew that Sebastian was the boss based on their relationship aspects. I think for the most part, Sebastian and Costa were on the same page when it came to the film. Costa was fine with the fact that the extras were only getting a couple dollars a day and was even proud that they were able to get them for that low. As the movie goes on, we see a change of heart in Costa. Daniel over hears Costa telling someone that the extras are only getting $2 a day and they have a lot more money that they could be giving them. This makes Daniel mad and he expresses himself to Costa. We see that this makes Costa feel bad, the first glimpse of remorse.As the water crises escalates, there are also instances were the film crowd feels its best if they stop filming and go home so they are safe. Sebastian is hard headed and shuts them down, but here were also see Costa’s remorse for what is happening in this country. The biggest turning point for Costa’s attitude is when Daniels wife Theresa comes to Costa and asks for his help to save their daughter. Sebastian convinces Costa to not go and to stay and film because they are on a strict time line. Costa originally tells Theresa he cant and that she has to find another way. But as they are about to leave Costa has a change of heart and decides to not go with the film crew and to help Theresa. The drive through the middle of the war zone, find Belen, and take her to the hospital. Costa gives up his movie and possible his companionship with Sebastian so he can save this girl. I think he finally sees that this water crisis is actually a crisis for the people living there. No-one could live paying 400x more than their income for water. Sebastian does not really care because its not his problem and he doesn’t have to deal with it in his life. But Costa sees the pain it is bringing people and the lengths people are willing to go to to fight the water company. He empathizes with them and ultimately changes as a person and choose people over work.3The main culture clashes continue with the water crisis. The first instance in the film where it kind of made me shake my head was when all of the extras were building a well so that their families could have access to water, while the more important characters were having a big fancy dinner with all the food and water they could ask for. This made me stop and wonder what the heck kind of income barriers made this kind of struggle so prominent. The main characters of the film were able to live very easily in this area with the money they had, but when it comes to the people that live there all of the time, they don’t earn enough money to live like a normal family, they have to struggle every day just to get the necessities. As one scene shows, they have to pay for even the rain. Another culture clash is with the directors, producers, and actors clashing with the extras. To the directors and movie people, the movie is the most important thing in their life right now. To the extras, they have to continue in their struggle and have to continue to provide for their families with little to no income. The movie people don’t understand why the water is so important to the people that live there, and the people that live there don’t understand why the movie is so important to the directors. One of the big messages I got from the film was based on a culture clash. The movie is about how Christopher Columbus came to this land, enslaved the people that were already there, and killed them if they did not provide. They are filming this story using extras that are basically dying in their lives because they are having their access to water taken away from them. One horror story is being told using those that are going through another horror story. The title “Even the Rain” is from the horror story that the locals are going though with their water being taken from them. Daniel makes a big speech: “They sell our lakes, our rivers and our wells against our will. Even the rain that falls on our heads.” He is stating that no matter how the water gets to them, it will be taken and they are forced to pay an ungodly amount of money for it. They are going through this hardship while the directors are trying to portray another hardship that happened so many hears ago.