There is no more fertile ground for fiction than what has actually happened – the feature film The Jackal of Nahueltoro (1969) by Miguel Littín is proof positive of this assertion. The film is based on the true story of a brutal family massacre, supplying insight into contemporary Chilean society and becoming a ruthless indictment of the inhumanity of the death penalty. Illiterate Jorge Valenzuela, who lives on the fringe of society, develops into a self-aware, rounded person while on death row. However, in the end an indifferent state apparatus does not spare him either. Fresh, dynamic montages of the documentary-style work based on original documents plus the elemental acting of Nelson Villagra are effective in revealing the stations of vulnerability and human dignity. Audiences can enjoy this masterpiece of Chilean new wave in a 4K restored version.











