Voces inocentes
| Voces Inocentes | |
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U.S. release poster
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| Directed by | Luis Mandoki |
| Produced by |
Lawrence Bender Luis Mandoki Alejandro Soberón Kuri |
| Written by |
Luis Mandoki Óscar Orlando Torres |
| Based on | Óscar Torres's childhood |
| Starring | Carlos Padilla Leonor Varela Xuna Primus |
| Music by | André Abujamra |
| Cinematography | Juan Ruiz Anchía |
| Edited by | Aleshka Ferrero |
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Production
company |
Santo Domingo Films
Lawrence Bender Productions MUVI Films Altavista Films |
| Distributed by |
Lionsgate (.El Salvador ; theatrical) 20th Century Fox (international) Polychrome Pictures (U.S.A release) |
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Release date
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Running time
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152 minutes |
| Country | El Salvador United States |
| Language | Spanish |
Voces Inocentes (English title: Innocent Voices) is a 2004 Salvadorian-war film directed by Luis Mandoki. The plot is set during the Salvadoran Civil War, and is based on writer Óscar Torres's childhood. The film serves as a general commentary on the military use of children. The movie also shows injustice against innocent people who are forced to fight in the war. It follows the story of the narrator, a boy named Chava.
In 1986, Chava is a young 11-year-old boy from El Salvador. His father escaped to the United States at the start of the civil war when he was only 5. His family lives in a small town of Cuscatancingo that is currently heavily fought over between the Salvadoran army and the El Salvador guerrillas. His mother makes a living for the family by sewing, and Chava sells the clothes in shops. When he's not in school, Chava works for a bus driver announcing stations for him as a part-time service to help his family with money.
He is nearing his twelfth birthday, when the Salvadoran military forces will recruit him into active service against the guerillas. Chava witnesses the army recruiting twelve-year-old children from his school inside, and also witnesses a 10-year-old recruited when he trips another boy as a bad prank on him, and he is violently restrained after he tries to run away, and his teacher is almost shot while trying to defend him.
One day, his uncle Beto, who has joined the guerrillas, comes to visit Chava's family. Beto wants to take Chava with him so the military can't recruit him, but Chava's mother is against it. Beto gives a radio to Chava and tells him how to listen to the guerrillas' banned radio station, Venceremos. Throughout the scenes in the village where they live, there are firefights between government and rebel forces, as the settlement is on the border of the conflict. Chava knowingly plays a song banned by the Salvadoran Army in front of the soldiers, but the town's priest saves him by playing the same song over the church's loudspeaker, focussing the soldier's attention away from Chava.
During class, Chava falls in love with a girl in his class named Cristina Maria. The guerrillas attack the army from the school building and the school is closed. Kella and her family move out of town to her mother's house in a safer area. One of the guerrillas, Raton, tells Chava of the army's next recruitment day, and Chava and his friends warn the entire town to hide their children. Chava decides to visit Cristina Maria but only finds the bombed-out shell of her house. He and his friends decide to join the guerrillas, but they are followed and the guerrilla camp is attacked by the army.
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