# Prison in the Andes

Prison in the Andes (Spanish: Penal Cordillera) is a 2023 Chilean-Brazilian drama film written and directed by Felipe Carmona in his directorial debut. Starring Bastián Bodenhöfer and Hugo Medina accompanied by Andrew Bargsted, Mauricio Pesutic, Alejandro Trejo, Óscar Hernández, Daniel Alcaíno and Juan Carlos Maldonado. It is about 5 military generals who participated in the Pinochet dictatorship and who are imprisoned in the "Penal Cordillera", a luxurious prison from which they will not want to leave when the government wants to transfer them to a regular prison.
Prison in the Andes had its world premiere at the 67th BFI London Film Festival on 6 October 2023, where it competed for the Sutherland Trophy.

## Synopsis

Five of the most cruel torturers of the Pinochet dictatorship are serving sentences of several centuries in a luxurious prison at the foot of the Andes. It is an enclosure with a swimming pool, gardens and aviaries where they are always watched by guards who look more like their employees. When a television crew interviews Contreras, one of the inmates, his statements have an unexpected impact. Fearing that they will be transferred to a common prison, the military will do everything possible to stay in place, unleashing delirium and violence in the middle of the mountains.

## Cast

The actors participating in this film are:
* Hugo Medina as Manuel Contreras
* Bastián Bodenhöfer as Miguel Krassnoff
* Alejandro Trejo as Odlanier Mena
* Mauricio Pesutic as Marcelo Moren Brito
* Óscar Hernández as Pedro Espinoza
* Daniel Alcaíno as Alcaide
* Andrew Bargsted as Navarrete
* Juan Carlos Maldonado as Galdames
* Nicolás Zárate as Castro

## Release

It had its world premiere on October 6, 2023, in the First Feature Competition section at the 67th BFI London Film Festival, then was screened on November 12, 2023, at the 49th Huelva Ibero-American Film Festival, on December 10, 2023, at the 28th International Film Festival of Kerala, on June 9, 2024, at the 39th Guadalajara International Film Festival and on August 10, 2024, at the 28th Lima Film Festival.
It was commercially released on November 23, 2023, in Chilean theaters.

## Accolades

| Year | Award / Festival | Category | Recipient | Result |
| 2023 | 67th BFI London Film Festival | Sutherland Trophy | Prison in the Andes | Nominated |
| 2023 | 49th Huelva Ibero-American Film Festival | Golden Colon | Prison in the Andes | Nominated |
| 2023 | 49th Huelva Ibero-American Film Festival | Best Performance | Cast of Prison in the Andes | Won |
| 2023 | 28th International Film Festival of Kerala | Golden Crow Pheasant | Prison in the Andes | Nominated |
| 2023 | 28th International Film Festival of Kerala | Fipresci Award | Prison in the Andes | Won |
| 2024 | 26th Punta del Este International Film Festival | Best Director | Felipe Carmona | Won |
| 2024 | 15th Festival Internacional de Cinema da Fronteira | Special Mention - Official Jury Award | Prison in the Andes | Won |
| 2024 | 15th Festival Internacional de Cinema da Fronteira | Best Script | Felipe Carmona | Won |
| 2024 | 39th Guadalajara International Film Festival | Ibero-American Fiction Feature Film - Best Picture | Prison in the Andes | Nominated |