Finding Oscar is a documentary film which premiered in 2016.
The topic of this film is a massacre which took place in the village of Dos Erres in a northern district of Guatemala on 6 December 1982.
It is one of numerous massacres which took place during a civil war which lasted for more than three decades (1960-1996).
Here is some basic information about this film:
** Director: Ryan Suffern
** Writers: Ryan Suffern and Mark Monroe
** Producer: Ryan Suffern
** Co-producer: Scott Greathead
** Executive producer: Steven Spielberg
** Language: English and Spanish
** Subtitles: English
** Available on DVD and via Amazon Prime Video
** Run time: 95 minutes
Many persons are interviewed in the film. Here are the names of four persons who appear more than once:
** Scott Greathead – a lawyer who focuses on human rights
** Sebastian Rotella – a journalist who focuses on events in Latin America
** Kate Doyle – senior analyst, National Security Archives, George Washington University
** Fredy Peccerelli – a forensic anthropologist
More than 200 persons were killed during the massacre of Dos Erres in December 1982: men, women and children were dumped on top of each other in a local well.
Afterwards, the houses were burned down or razed to the ground. The village ceased to exist.
In this film, we learn the gruesome details of this massacre. We also learn who was responsible for it: a special unit of the Guatemalan Army whose name is Kaibil.
In this film, the massacre is placed in a historical and political context. It happened during the Cold War between East and West. The Guatemalan government was supported by the United States.
US President Ronald Reagan visited Guatemalan President Efrain Rios Montt in Guatemala on 4 December 1982.
In an official speech, Reagan described President Montt as “a man of great personal integrity and commitment.”
The massacre of Dos Erres took place only two days after this visit.
In 2011, Guatemalan President Alvaro Colom issued an official apology for the massacre that was committed by the special army unit (Kaibil) during the civil war.
Only a few villagers survived this massacre. Among them were two children, two young boys, who were taken away by two soldiers and raised in their families. One of them was called Oscar.
In this film, we follow the subsequent investigation to find Oscar. Is he still alive? If so, where is he? Hence the title of the film:
Finding Oscar
What do reviewers say about this film? Here are the results of three review aggregators:
** 72 percent = Meta
** 72 percent = IMDb
** 82 percent = Rotten Tomatoes (the critics)
** 88 percent = Rotten Tomatoes (the audience)
On Amazon there are at the moment 109 ratings of this product, 48 with reviews. The average rating is 4.7 stars, which corresponds to a rating of 94 percent.
In my opinion, the former ratings (Meta and IMDb) are too low, while the latter ratings (Rotten Tomatoes and Amazon) are more appropriate.
I want to go all the way to the top with this product. I think it deserves a rating of five stars (100 percent).
Since this is a film about a horrible event, I cannot say you will enjoy it, but I do think you can appreciate it.
PS # 1. For more information, see the following documentary films directed by Pamela Yates:
When the Mountains Tremble
(1983, second version 2004)
(83 minutes)
Granito: How to Nail a Dictator
(Released 2011)
(103 minutes)
PS # 2. For background information, see the following book:
Buried Secrets:
Truth and Human Rights in Guatemala
by Victoria Sanford
(Hardcover 2003)
(Paperback 2004)
PS # 3. The following item is available online:
"Dos Erres massacre: Ex-soldier sentenced for killing 171"
BBC News, 22 November 2018
*****
Alvaro Colom
(Born 1951)
President of Guatemala 2008-2012
*****
Truth and Human Rights in Guatemala
by Victoria Sanford
(2003) (2004)
*****
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