El Patrón, Radiografía de un Crimen is a Spanish foreign
language film which follows the story of Hermogenes, an illiterate labourer
from rural Argentina.
The film follows Hermogenes as he moves to Buenos Aires with his wife and lands a job at a local butcher shop.
The film follows Hermogenes as he moves to Buenos Aires with his wife and lands a job at a local butcher shop.
After being taught the in’s and out’s of the butchery business
from his boss, Hermogenes takes on more responsibility and learns how corrupt
and distrusting his boss is. Ultimately, leading towards their relationship turning
from boss and employee to owner and slave.
El Patrón, Radiografía de un Crimen directly focusses on issues
pertaining to workplace exploitation, contemporary slavery and the violation human
rights standards in many industries in the South American continent.
Synopsis
Hermogenes is a manual labourer from the Argentine North. Together he and his wife move to Buenos Aires with the hope of getting work and living a better life. He winds up finding a job at a butcher shop after a vacancy becomes available.
At first, everything seems to look just right. His
boss helps him become acclimated to the area, promises a good salary, gives him
and his wife a place to live at the back of the shop and even finds his wife a
job as a housemaid.
All that’s left to do is sign a contract which he believes matches the verbal understanding the two have.
All that’s left to do is sign a contract which he believes matches the verbal understanding the two have.
However, after Hermogenes starts taking on more
responsibility, his boss begins to become a foreboding person in his life.
He demands that Hermogenes to pay back the ‘debts’ he 'owes' him and refuses to pay him his full salary. Thereby treating Hermogenes as his own slave worker.
He demands that Hermogenes to pay back the ‘debts’ he 'owes' him and refuses to pay him his full salary. Thereby treating Hermogenes as his own slave worker.
The remainder of El Patrón, Radiografía de un Crimen follows
Hermogenes as he attempts to eliminate his debt by working at the store and taking
part in illegal and extremely hazardous work activities.
All of which leads to a fatal tragedy, landing Hermogenes’ family in very deep water.
All of which leads to a fatal tragedy, landing Hermogenes’ family in very deep water.
Important Themes
The storyline of El Patrón, Radiografía de un Crimen is based on true events and unfortunately is an all too familiar story of exploitation coming out of big cities in South America.
Modern slavery exists all over the world. That’s inclusive
of countries on every single continent. From countries like the United States, Italy,
Australia, Congo, Libya, Qatar, Brazil and Chile. All of whom have facets of
society and industries built on the backs of slave labour.
Statistics from a Russian report state that there are over 800,000 slaves in Russia today. And estimates from the Global Slavery Index hold that there are over 130,000 modern day slaves in the UK and over 400,000 in the US.
Statistics from a Russian report state that there are over 800,000 slaves in Russia today. And estimates from the Global Slavery Index hold that there are over 130,000 modern day slaves in the UK and over 400,000 in the US.
Forced labour and extortion continues to affect millions in
the United States. As it is reported that sex trafficking occurs in every single US State (and it is a booming industry
that preys on both domestic and foreign victims). As well as a lucrative forced labour industry present in America's Southern States.
Additionally, for the past 3 years there has been an enormous amount of
reporting on the slave labour practices in Qatar,
as the country is building up to host the 2022 World Cup. The country has
brought in thousands of foreign workers who have been promised work, pay and
housing but have been left working in inhumane conditions with little to no
pay.
Moreover earlier in 2018, it was uncovered that there has been a
flourishing human trafficking and slavery industry in Libya. An industry that literally sees slaves being bought and sold over
social media.
While looking at the issue in South America, you’ll find just
as many human rights abuses.
Large scale exploitation of workers usually takes the form of organizations taking advantage of workers seeking a better life moving from rural areas to populated cities around the continent. This occurs across various industries, from fashion to food to pharmaceuticals.
Large scale exploitation of workers usually takes the form of organizations taking advantage of workers seeking a better life moving from rural areas to populated cities around the continent. This occurs across various industries, from fashion to food to pharmaceuticals.
For example, you can watch this investigative documentary conducted by Al Jazeera, which looks at the
slave labour conditions in the Brazilian fashion industry. Telling of a
narrative of rural Peruvian and Bolivian families moving to urban Brazil at the
hopes of living a better life. Only to find themselves working and living in
sweatshops while their employers refuse to pay them more than the equivalent of
pennies.
The investigative piece reflects on the tumultuous affects these
companies have on their foreign workers.
Underlining the stark realties (similar to Hermogenes’ situation depicted in El Patrón, Radiografía de un Crimen) these people live through just to get employment.
Underlining the stark realties (similar to Hermogenes’ situation depicted in El Patrón, Radiografía de un Crimen) these people live through just to get employment.
Conclusion
As a whole El Patrón, Radiografía de un Crimen is an intoxicating and intricate film.
It may not be a film for everyone, due to
the sinister nature of the film and the subject matter. But the film goes
forward to tell a very revealing story of manipulation, exploitation, mistrust
and anger.
El Patrón, Radiografía de un Crimen definitely packs a punch of
drama and succeeds in telling a film focused on crime, justice and retribution.
Don’t miss El Patrón, Radiografía de un Crimen.
It’s a brilliant film that touches on a very human story despite being set in an
inhumane butcher shop.
