La Francisca, A Chilean Youth (La Francisca, Una Juventud Chilena)

Directed by: Rodrigo Litorriaga. Writer: Rodrigo Litorriaga. Produced by: Rodrigo Litorriaga, Marc Irmer

Rodrigo Litorriaga’s feature debut portrays the harsh and precarious reality of life as a young woman in northern Chile. Caught between dreams of leaving her hometown, and an obligation towards her autistic younger brother, “La Francisca” struggles to do what’s right for both herself and her family. When she’s approached by a new teacher offering private tutoring, what first appeared to be a solution to her problems becomes the most insidious problem of all.

19-year-old Francisca, lives with her family in a small town in Chile’s Atacama Desert, where they own a little gas station. Although she dreams of leaving, Francisca remains tied to her home so she can take care of her eight year old brother, Diego, who has difficulty communicating as a result of his autism. When Diego’s new teacher, Fernando, offers to apply some new pedagogical methods to help David open up, Francesca decides to take the chance and agrees. But, like the earthquakes that shake their town, Fernando begins to tear their home apart.