For her first documentary, ‘Our Land,’ Argentina’s Lucrecia Martel chases down a murder

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Lucretia Martel is a fascinating filmmaker. Her movies don’t unfold in a typical way; instead, they grab you with striking images, sounds, and little details. It’s like she builds these worlds – whether it’s the lives of wealthy Argentinians today, as in films like ‘La Ciénega’ and ‘The Headless Woman,’ or colonial society in ‘Zama’ – through these sensory experiences. It can be a bit disorienting, but it’s a really unique and powerful way to tell a story, and it feels incredibly authentic.

With her new documentary, “Our Land (Nuestra Tierra),” director Martel skillfully investigates a political crime and the broader injustices surrounding it. The film focuses on the 2009 murder of Javier Chocobar, an Indigenous man from Argentina who was killed while protecting his community’s ancestral lands from illegal trespassers. This important issue – including land theft, rights to territory, and the long-overdue recognition of Indigenous peoples – allows Martel to approach a complex subject with unusual clarity and focus.

She’s tackling a deeply upsetting issue that’s too sensitive to be presented as simply beautiful, while also confronting a brutal injustice that demands more than a typical approach. She starts by showing satellite images of the land, suggesting this exploitation of nature is a global concern, not just a problem for Argentina.

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This acclaimed Argentine director is highly respected both in her home country and internationally—she even had discussions with Marvel Studios. Her debut documentary, “Our Land,” centers around the investigation of a murder.

“Our Land” powerfully blends courtroom drama with sweeping views of the disputed territory, all captured with a dreamlike, urgent feel. The film centers on a community’s long struggle to retain land they’ve farmed for generations. It’s a truly admirable documentary, and a stark look at the realities of land grabs in today’s world.

It’s incredibly frustrating watching the footage from the 2018 trial – nine years after the shooting! The three men on trial – a businessman and two former police officers – really try to play the victim, but it falls apart when you see their own video of what happened. It clearly shows things escalated only because they brought a gun to the confrontation with the Chuchagastas. And their lawyers? They just kept pushing this ridiculous story about property rights and who was ‘allowed’ to be there, drowning us in paperwork and endless historical details. It felt like they were trying to confuse everyone instead of getting to the truth.

As Martel carefully presents the Chuchagastas’ story—through personal accounts, compelling photos, evocative sound, and home videos—we realize that arguments over documents and files are pointless, considering the care they’ve received over centuries. One member of the community even avoids conversation, believing it leads to compromise and giving things up.

The director of “Our Land” approaches her subject with careful attention and sincere respect, but also acknowledges she’s an observer looking in. This is evident in her drone footage of the valley where the community lives – beautiful, deliberate shots, even when things don’t go perfectly (like when a bird flies into the frame). These aerial views subtly remind us she’s the one telling the story, a story that ultimately belongs to the people who live there, and that’s what makes the documentary so honest.

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2026-05-09 22:01