The Violin

Francisco Vargas's 2005 Mexican film is set in an unnamed country and follows a peasant family resisting the army. Old Don Plutarco plays the violin; that is how he can enter the field the soldiers control, carrying out hidden ammunition little by little. The idea at the centre is art used as a shield and how unsustainable that is. The black and white photography gives it a documentary harshness. Ángel Tavira in the lead was a real musician who had lost a hand; he plays not with a bow but with his fingers, which adds another reality. The opening scene is extremely harsh and the film offers relief at no point. Who it's for: viewers interested in Latin American cinema and stories of resistance. Who it's not for: anyone avoiding content involving torture and sexual violence, or wanting a hopeful close.