Terre sacrée (1988)
A quiet, searching French drama about a Chilean exile who returns home and finds both his country and himself irrevocably changed.
Terre sacrée - Movie Information
- Original Title: Terre sacrée
- Release Year: 1988
- Directed by: Emilio Pacull
- Type: Movie
- Genres: Drama
- Runtime: 1h 35m
- Original Language: French
- Spoken Languages: French, Spanish
- Release Date (Theatrical): September 15, 1988 (France)
- Alternative Titles: Tierra sagrada (CL)
- Production Companies: CNC, Arion Productions
- Production Countries: France
Terre sacrée - Plot
A Chilean returning to Santiago to find out what has happened to his native country while he has been away, discovers much about himself.
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Terre sacrée - Cast & Crew
Director(s)
- Emilio Pacull
Main Cast
- Joaquim de Almeida
- Isabel Otero
- Julien Guiomar
- María Teresa Fricke
- Julio Jung
- Fernando Gallardo
- Nelson Brodt
- Rodrigo Bastidas
- Sergio Schmied
- Pablo Lavín
Writers
- Antoine Lacomblez
- Emilio Pacull
- Evelyne Pieiller
Producers
- Patrick Sandrin
Terre sacrée - FAQs
What is Terre sacrée about?
Terre sacrée follows a Chilean exile who returns to Santiago after years abroad, hoping to understand what has become of his homeland. The journey turns inward as much as outward — confronting political trauma, fractured identity, and the painful gap between the country he remembered and the one he finds.
Who directed Terre sacrée?
Terre sacrée was directed by Emilio Pacull, a Chilean-born filmmaker working in France. The film reflects his personal connection to the subject of exile and return, drawing on the lived experience of Chileans displaced during the Pinochet era.
Who are the main actors in Terre sacrée?
The film stars Joaquim de Almeida as Mateo Elorduy, the returning exile at the heart of the story, alongside Isabel Otero as Isabel Crucero and Julien Guiomar as Fernando Elorduy. The cast also includes María Teresa Fricke and Julio Jung in supporting roles.
Is Terre sacrée based on a true story?
Terre sacrée is not based on a single documented true story, but it draws deeply from the real historical experience of Chilean exiles during the Pinochet dictatorship. Director Emilio Pacull brought an authentically personal perspective to the material, grounding the fiction in genuine political and emotional reality.
What language is Terre sacrée in?
The film is primarily in French, with Spanish also spoken — a bilingual texture that reflects the in-between world of exile itself. This linguistic duality reinforces the protagonist's torn sense of belonging, caught between his adopted country and the Chile he left behind.
When was Terre sacrée released?
Terre sacrée premiered in France on September 15, 1988. The film was also released under the Spanish-language title Tierra sagrada in Chile, reflecting its dual cultural identity as a French production deeply rooted in Chilean history and experience.
How long is Terre sacrée?
Terre sacrée runs for 95 minutes — a lean, focused runtime that suits the film's intimate, introspective tone. Rather than sprawling across epic territory, it keeps its gaze tightly on one man's quiet reckoning with memory, loss, and a homeland transformed beyond recognition.
What films are similar to Terre sacrée?
If Terre sacrée resonates with you, films like Tigertail (2020) and Return (2011) explore similar themes of homecoming and displaced identity. Sergio (2020) and My Neighbor Adolf (2022) also deal with the long shadows cast by political history on individual lives.
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