Mateo
(Mateo)
Maria Gamboa | Fiction, Drama
2014 | 86 minutes | Colombia, France
Mateo agrees to infiltrate a local theatre group to reveal its members’ political activities. Enthralled with the troupe's lifestyle, he's under pressure to incriminate the actors.
Synopsis
Sixteen-year-old Mateo collects extortion money on behalf of his uncle and uses his pay to help out his mother, who grudgingly accepts the ill-gotten money out of need. They live by themselves in the poor, violent neighborhoods alongside the Magdalena River valley in Colombia.
To prove his worth, Mateo agrees to infiltrate a local theatre group in order to uncover its members’ political activities. As he becomes enthralled with the free-flowing creative lifestyle of the troupe, his uncle escalates demands on him to produce incriminating information on the actors. Under pressure, Mateo must make difficult choices.
Reviews
"It has the virtue of subtly addressing the moral dilemmas that millions of Colombians face every day. Although the threat of illegality is always present, the director, María Gamboa, privileges human experiences over the hype of violence." - Mauricio Reina, El Tiempo
Citation
Main credits
Gamboa, María (film director)
Gamboa, María (screenwriter)
García, Daniel (film producer)
Hernández, Carlos (actor)
Botero, Felipe (actor)
Niño, Leidy (actor)
Other credits
Cinematography, Diego Jiménez; editing, Gustavo Vasco; music, Marc Huri, Camilo Zanabria.
Citation
Cataloging
Pragda subjects
Activism
Criminal Justice
Culture + Identity
Dance + Performing Arts
Economics + Social Class Issues
Family
Latin American Studies
Oscar® Contenders
South America
Keywords
Clips
Festivals
Representative of Colombia for the Oscars; Miami Film Festival – Best First Feature, Best Screenplay; FICCI Cartagena International Film Festival - Competition Special Mention FIPRESCI Jury & Special Jury; Austin’s Cine Las Americas – Best Feature Film; Giffoni Film Festival – Generator 16 Best Feature Film; Providence Latin American Film Festival – Best Film, Best Actress, Best Cinematography; Giffoni Film Festival; Festival des Films du Monde Montreal; Sydney Latin American Film Festival; AFI Latin American Film Festival; Salé Film Festival
DIRECTOR: Maria Gamboa
NATIONALITY: Colombia, France
YEAR: 2014
GENRE: Fiction, Drama
LANGUAGE: Spanish
COLOR / B&W: Color
GRADE LEVEL: High School, College, Adult
SUBTITLE/CC: AVAILABLE
AUDIO DESCRIPTION: NOT AVAILABLE
Existing customers, please log in to view this film.
New to Pragda? Register to request a quote.
Related Films
![](http://misc.docuseek2.com/pragda/images/titles/pr-hongos_poster.jpg)
Los Hongos
![](http://misc.docuseek2.com/pragda/images/titles/pr-7box_poster.jpg)
7 Boxes
7 cajas
![](http://misc.docuseek2.com/pragda/images/titles/pr-nobodi_poster.jpg)
The Nobodies
Los nadie
![](http://misc.docuseek2.com/pragda/images/titles/pr-hopef_poster.jpg)
Hopefuls
Aspirantes
![](http://misc.docuseek2.com/pragda/images/titles/pr-warani_poster.jpg)
War Animals
Animales de guerra
![](http://misc.docuseek2.com/pragda/images/titles/pr-whales_poster.jpg)
50 (Or Two Whales Meet at the Beach)
50 O dos ballenas se encuentran en la playa
![](http://misc.docuseek2.com/pragda/images/titles/pr-firstb_poster.jpg)
First Born
Primero de la familia
![](http://misc.docuseek2.com/pragda/images/titles/pr-chaval_poster.jpg)
Chaval
![](http://misc.docuseek2.com/pragda/images/titles/pr-nhnt_poster.jpg)
Neither Hero nor Traitor
Ni héroe ni traidor
![](http://misc.docuseek2.com/pragda/images/titles/pr-badinf_poster.jpg)
Bad Influence
Mala junta
![](http://misc.docuseek2.com/pragda/images/titles/pr-moles_poster.jpg)
Moles
Topos
![](http://misc.docuseek2.com/pragda/images/titles/pr-monex_poster.jpg)
Money Exchange
Cambio, cambio
![](http://misc.docuseek2.com/pragda/images/titles/pr-roost_poster.jpg)
Before a Rooster Crows
Antes que cante el gallo
![](http://misc.docuseek2.com/pragda/images/titles/pr-andres_poster.jpg)
Andrés Reads and Writes
Andrés lee i escribe
![](http://misc.docuseek2.com/pragda/images/titles/pr-yuma_poster.jpg)
La Yuma
Related Collections
![](http://misc.docuseek2.com/pragda/images/Collections/The Arts - 251.jpg)
The Arts
A fascinating journey into the creative process and the transformative power of artistic expression.
Number of titles: 113
SEE COLLECTION >![](http://misc.docuseek2.com/pragda/images/Collections/pr-_compl.jpg)
The Pragda Complete Film Collection
The essence of Spain and Latin America captured in their original language with English captions or subtitles.
Number of titles: 621
SEE COLLECTION >![](http://misc.docuseek2.com/pragda/images/Collections/pr-oscars_collection.jpg)
Oscar® Submissions
Prepare for or relieve the biggest night in film by exploring some of Spain and Latin America's official submissions to the Academy Awards for Best International Feature Film.
Number of titles: 14
SEE COLLECTION >![](http://misc.docuseek2.com/pragda/images/Collections/Spanish Language - 251.jpg)
Spanish Language Films
A cinematic highlight of the magic and diversity of the Spanish language.
Number of titles: 440
SEE COLLECTION >![](http://misc.docuseek2.com/pragda/images/Collections/pr-highschool_collection.jpg)
High School Collection
Given varying criteria for content ratings and age restrictions in different regions, Pragda STREAM recommends faculty watch films in their entirety before assigning them to students.
Number of titles: 509
SEE COLLECTION >![](http://misc.docuseek2.com/pragda/images/Collections/pr-criminal_justice.jpg)
Criminal Justice
A riveting selection of films that provoke conversations on topics such as wrongful convictions, systemic issues, life in prison, and the human stories behind crime and punishment.
Number of titles: 128
SEE COLLECTION >![](http://misc.docuseek2.com/pragda/images/Collections/pr-_aflan.jpg)
Afro-Latin Narratives
Unveiling Afro-Latin America: their culture, challenges, and the profound contributions of their communities.
Number of titles: 67
SEE COLLECTION >