TRANSMODERNITY: Journal of Peripheral Cultural Production of the Luso-Hispanic World

This comparative analysis of the films También la lluvia (dir. Icíar Bollaín, 2010) and La carga (dir. Alan Jonsson Gavica, 2015), examines power dynamics, transactions, and role of bribes in indigenista films set in Latin America. The central argument is that cinematic portrayals of bribes offered to Indigenous characters in these films reveal a grammar of exploitation residual from colonial discourses from the early modern era. I examine the exploitation inherent in verbal negotiations preceding monetary transactions in these films, drawing on Enrique Dussel’s work on the Spanish invasion. By scrutinizing the economic implications of production and distribution, the article questions the transnational film industry’s influence on cultural representations and the perpetuation of regional stereotypes. The examination extends to the commodification of Indigenous characters, emphasizing how historical fiction constructs simplify complex histories into marketable, interchangeable figures. The “great man” paradigm further simplifies narratives, allowing filmmakers to offer what appears as a decolonial experience while masking the continuation of profiteering practices. This article offers insights into the understudied linguistic foundations of filmic depictions of bribes in colonial settings. The analysis also underscores the need for a critical examination of the film industry’s role in perpetuating exploitative practices. By exposing the transference of colonial guilt onto audiences, my argument prompts a reevaluation of the industry’s ethical responsibilities in representing Indigenous struggles and dismantling systems of cultural and aesthetic exploitation.