# The Pink House (film)

The Pink House (Spanish: La casa rosada) is a 2017 Peruvian crime drama thriller film written and directed by Palito Ortega Matute. It premiered in March 2017 at the San Diego Latino Film Festival. It was released posthumously on May 3, 2018 in Peruvian cinemas. It is one of the most awarded Peruvian films of recent years. According to the director, it is the biggest movie he has been able to produce.

## Synopsis

The film tells the story of a family from Ayacucho during the internal armed conflict. The mother is murdered and the father, the university professor, Adrián Mendoza Torres, is accused of being part of the terrorist organization Shining Path, for this reason he is cruelly tortured in La Casa Rosada. His 9 and 10-year-old children and his family will begin their intense search, finding him dying in a desolate place surrounded by many dead. It is there that they manage to save his life. After a few weeks, the family flees the war to Lima. The story takes place in the 80s in Ayacucho, a place that concentrated most of the violence unleashed during the era of terrorism.

## Cast

* José Luis Adrianzen as Adrián Mendoza Torres, the teacher
* Ricardo Bromley as John of God
* Shantall Lozano as Maria del Carmen
* Camila Mac Lennan as Aunt Rosa
* Rodrigo Viaggio as The disturbed
* Kike Casterot as Squid 10
* Carlos Cano as Army Major
* Ramón García - Taxi Driver
* Christian Esquivel as Sinchi Manuel
* Jhonny Mendoza as Lieutenant
* Segundino Huamancusi as Artisan prisoner
* Oswaldo Salas as Flat soldier
* Nelba Acuña as Hiker 1

## Background

Palito Ortega Matute saw first-hand the facilities of "the pink house", a place where people accused of being part of Shining Path were tortured, when at the age of 16, while accompanying a university student, he was detained by the armed forces and he spent a month and a half in that place, near the Los Cabitos army barracks. He was able to leave here thanks to the fact that his family was able to prove his innocence and that they achieved influential contacts at that time.

## Controversies

Prior to its release, the film was subject to controversy. Congressman and Army Division General (r) Edwin Donayre alleged that the tape "denigrated the Armed Forces." The actress Karina Calmet was ridiculed after she described it via Twitter as an apology for terrorism. Due to the controversy, the film was withdrawn from several theaters. Despite this, the film remained on the billboard for seven weeks and the LUM presents it regularly as part of its memory strengthening activities.

## Awards

| Year | Award / Festival | Category | Result |
| 2018 | Luces Awards, Perú | Best Film | Nominated |
| 2017 | Slemani International Film Festival, Irak | Special Mention of the Jury | Won |
| 2017 | Guayaquil International Film Festival, Ecuador | Best Actor | Won |
| 2017 | Guayaquil International Film Festival, Ecuador | Best Edition | Won |
| 2017 | No Identity Action Films Festival, Seville, Spain | Best Soundtrack | Won |
| 2017 | Bajo La Luna International Film Festival - Islantilla Cinefórum, Spain | Best Art Direction | Won |
| 2016 | Lugo International Auteur Film Week | Best Film | Won |
| 2009 | Conacine National Film Projects Competition | Feature Film Projects | Won |