Chile '76

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2:05

Chile '76

Released May 5, 2023

1h 35m

Drama

Mystery & Thriller

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

91%

Tomatometer

56 Reviews

96%

Popcornmeter

500+ Ratings

Chile, 1976. Carmen heads off to her beach house to supervise its renovation. Her husband, children and grandchildren come back and forth during the winter vacation. When the family priest asks her to take care of a young man he is sheltering in secret, Carmen steps onto unexplored territories, away from the quiet life she is used to.

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Critics Consensus

Chile '76 is an intriguing historical noir that radiographs Pinochet's patronizing and patriarchal society through the eyes of a steely bourgeoise woman who dares to take a stand.

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Josh Kupecki

Austin Chronicle

What Martelli and her co-conspirators have created with the radicalization of Carmen in Chile ‘76 -- and what, incidentally, eludes so many contemporary horror films -- is the palpable sense of dread.

Rated: 4/5

Aug 17, 2023

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Ann Hornaday

Washington Post

Chile ’76 turns out to be a paranoid thriller altogether worthy of the era it captures with such cool, self-contained style.

Rated: 3/4

Jun 13, 2023

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Tim Cogshell

FilmWeek (LAist)

A very powerful and chilling reminder of what it would be like to live in a police state.

Jun 6, 2023

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Cate Marquis

AWFJ.org

An impressive debut by a actor-turned-director Manuela Martelli, Chile ’76 is a chilling, powerful political thriller as a woman’s view of the world around her is shaken to its foundations in the film’s devastating conclusion.

Jun 11, 2025

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David Bax

Battleship Pretension

Unlike standard issue noir, though, in which the character becomes embroiled in crime of the civilian (if sometimes organized) variety, Chile ’76 involves political crime and the always present threat of domestic political violence.

Oct 1, 2024

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Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat

Spirituality & Practice

A political and psychological thriller about the moral struggle of a bourgeois women living under a dictatorship.

Rated: 4/5

Dec 24, 2023

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Janice

Great suspense movie beautifully acted

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

06/25/23

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Roy J

Kept my attention mainly because of the lead actress. I don't have much knowledge about Chile's history, but this was a good slow burn thriller for spy fans.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

06/13/23

Full Review

Gary W

I thoroughly enjoyed this film. The 1976 settings were presented effectively. And the plot kept me involved throughout the film, in a Hitchcockian sort of way. Aline Kppenheim was great in the role of Carmen. If you don't know about the difficult times during the Pinochet military dictatorship during this time, this film will leave you wanting to know more about it.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

06/07/23

Full Review

Peter G

This is an example of why you can't trust the reviews. This movie is highly over rated. And it isn't because I'm personally against foreign films. As a comparison, the foreign film "The Lives of Others" is a genuine 5-star movie. It has an interesting story, good acting and the suspense keeps you on edge to the very end. In contrast, Chile '76 was painfully slow and not particularly interesting despite an interesting premise, and there's no payoff from slogging through this slow, dull movie. You'll find yourself waiting for a climax that really never happens. When it's over, you'll be thinking "is that it?" So disappointing.

Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars

04/28/25

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Tim G

Hard to say, had trouble staying awake. Seemed good?

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

01/24/25

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MovieZorg M

One of two Kino releases seen on the same day, this one losing by comparison.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

12/01/23

Full Review

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Manuela Martelli

Director

Aline Küppenheim

Carmen

Nicolás Sepúlveda

Elias

Hugo Medina

Father Sanchez

Alejandro Goic

Miguel

Manuela Martelli

Screenwriter

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Chile '76: Trailer 1

2:05

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Synopsis

Chile, 1976. Carmen heads off to her beach house to supervise its renovation. Her husband, children and grandchildren come back and forth during the winter vacation. When the family priest asks her to take care of a young man he is sheltering in secret, Carmen steps onto unexplored territories, away from the quiet life she is used to.

Director: Manuela Martelli
Producer: Omar Zúñiga Hidalgo, Dominga Sotomayor, Alejandra García, Andrés Wood
Screenwriter: Manuela Martelli, Alejandra Moffat
Distributor: Kino Lorber
Production Co: Magma Cine, Wood Producciones, Cinestación
Genre: Drama, Mystery & Thriller
Original Language: Spanish
Release Date (Theaters): May 5, 2023, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Jul 11, 2023
Box Office (Gross USA): $166.0K
Runtime: 1h 35m

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