This piece was originally published in the November 2024 issue of Pandora Curated.
In 1901, the southernmost tip of South America, the pristine yet turbulent landscapes of Tierra del Fuego, Chile, became the backdrop for one of the most harrowing chapters of colonial violence. Felipe Gálvez Haberle’s debut feature film, Los Colonos (The Settlers), draws viewers into this forgotten epoch, peeling back the layers of a history often erased from textbooks.
Critically acclaimed across the festival circuit, including the 76th Cannes Film Festival where it premiered, the film has garnered praise for its unflinching portrayal of the Selk’nam genocide and its attempt to reframe narratives that have long been dominated by colonial perspectives.
Los Colonos opens with an unsettling scene that immediately establishes its tone—a worker loses his arm when building a fence to demarcate the land of the colonisers. His desperate plea to continue his job is met with cold efficiency by Alexander MacLennan, a Scottish lieutenant overseeing the workers, who shoots him dead and commands the others to continue building the fence. This stark moment sets the stage for the journey that follows, one that is drenched in both literal and symbolic blood.
Yet, as the narrative unfolds, a more powerful thread emerges—a horseback mission to “clear the land” of the Selk’nam people. Here, the thematic weight of colonisation, exploitation, and moral ambiguity becomes more pronounced.
The horseback journey through Tierra del Fuego is through the panoramic grasslands and idyllic forests. MacLennan, the American cowboy Bill, and the mestizo worker Segundo traverse the panoramic grasslands, their expedition juxtaposing breathtaking natural beauty with unspeakable human cruelty. The lands, vast and seemingly eternal, stand as silent witnesses to the atrocities committed under the guise of progress.
Central to this journey are the characters, through which the film explores the complexities of power, identity, and resistance. Alexander MacLennan, a figure based on the historical “Red Pig,” embodies colonial violence and white supremacy, acting not as an individual villain but as a cog in the systemic brutality of empire-building. His actions, from cold-blooded murder to orchestrating mass killings, are devoid of remorse, reflecting the era’s dehumanisation of Indigenous peoples.
In contrast, Segundo, a mestizo (half European and half Mapuche) is caught between his Indigenous heritage and desire to fit in with the European colonists, who remind him of his absent father, making him one of the film’s most nuanced characters. His internal struggle with complicity highlights the moral ambiguities faced by those forced into roles of survival within oppressive systems. As the narrative progresses, the question of whether Segundo will defy MacLennan and Bill looms large, his eventual decision in the climactic third act resonating with tragic inevitability.
In the film’s final act, set years after the killings, the aftermath of the genocide is laid bare. Segundo is now living with Kiepja, a Selk’nam woman who was once ‘gifted’ to MacLennan and is now forced to portray ‘successful’ assimilation into the wider Chilean society.
The government is looking to propagate a false narrative in urban newspapers, portraying Indigenous people as having seamlessly integrated as Chilean nationals. Kiepja’s defiance against this makes for one of the most powerful moments in the film. This is depicted when she disobeys government officials who command her to pose for the camera with a teacup and a smile, meant to portray her as ‘civilised’. It mirrors the resilience of Indigenous peoples in the face of systemic erasure.
Mishell Guaña’s performance as Kiepja further lends a powerful insight into how Indigenous people are still tainted by the violence and harbour feelings of resentment against their colonisers. Additionally, tapping into the concept of autonomy, in this scene the autonomy of the self, which might seem small but is very powerful.
Gálvez Haberle portrays themes of genocide, cultural erasure, and moral ambiguity through a narrative that challenges the viewer to confront the uncomfortable truths of colonisation. The portrayal of the Selk’nam genocide, depicted through acts of direct violence and systemic oppression, sheds light on a history often sanitised or dismissed.
The film critiques the pernicious “extinction” narrative, which frames Indigenous peoples as primitive and doomed to vanish, perpetuating racial stereotypes that continue to marginalise communities today.
By anchoring the story in historical figures, including José Menéndez, Alexander MacLennan, and even Segundo, and events, Gálvez Haberle wishes to set the narrative straight and accurately portray the colonisation of the Selk’nam people. In doing so, he forces the audience to grapple with the reality that these atrocities were not anomalies but integral to the formation of modern nation-states.
Visually, Los Colonos is a masterpiece. The vast, cinematic landscapes of Tierra del Fuego serve as both a backdrop and a silent witness to the unfolding horror. The film’s sparse dialogue and reliance on visual storytelling heighten its emotional impact, with key moments—such as MacLennan washing his bloodied hands—speaking volumes about the moral decay at the heart of colonisation. Nature, often portrayed as idyllic and eternal, contrasts starkly with the impermanence and destruction wrought by human hands, creating a haunting juxtaposition.
The legacy of Los Colonos lies not only in its artistic achievements but also in its political and cultural resonance. By reclaiming suppressed narratives and amplifying the voices of the marginalised, Gálvez Haberle has created a film that is as relevant as it is revelatory.
The struggles of the Selk’nam people, officially recognized as an Indigenous tribe in Chile only in 2022, highlight the ongoing challenges faced by Indigenous communities in South America. Issues such as territorial dispossession and environmental exploitation remain pressing, bringing home the importance of acknowledging historical injustices while advocating for the rights and dignity of those affected.
Felipe Gálvez Haberle’s debut is more than a film; it is a powerful act of historical reckoning. By intertwining the personal with the political and the visual with the visceral, Los Colonos delivers an unforgettable narrative that demands reflection and action. As viewers leave the theatre, they are left not only with the haunting beauty of Tierra del Fuego but also with a deeper understanding of the enduring scars of colonisation—and a renewed urgency to support the resilience of Indigenous peoples worldwide.
Edited by the Curated Editorial Team
Sara Amir (she/her) is a student of International Studies and Security Studies at Leiden University, and a writer at Political Pandora. Her research interests are climate related issues, war, and politics.
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Keywords:
Tierra del Fuego, Los Colonos, Selk’nam Genocide, Felipe Gálvez Haberle, Colonial Violence, Indigenous Resilience, Moral Ambiguity, Systemic Oppression, Visual Masterpiece, Historical Reckoning, Cultural Erasure, Panoramic Landscapes, Power Dynamics, Narrative Critique, Chilean History.
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