The Tierra del Fuego gold rush was a frenzied and feverish chapter of Chilean history, drawing Europeans, Argentines, and native Chileans to the Tierra del Fuego islands between 1894 to 1910. Miners endured brutal coastlines and unforgiving conditions in the pursuit of opportunity, hoping to improve their lives and provide for their families.
In his documentary The Fabulous Gold Harvesting Machine, director Alfredo Pourailly De La Plaza follows one of the last remaining miners in Tierra del Fuego, 60-year-old Jorge “Toto” Gesell Díaz, as he continues the long-faded practice of hand-mining for gold in 2018. Pourailly De La Plaza masterfully sculpts a haunting and culturally relevant global heritage documentary depicting classic literary battles: Man vs. Nature, Man vs. Society, and Man vs. Self. The film wonderfully erases any fingerprints of outside intervention into Toto’s life, beyond a few endearing quips to the camera from Toto himself. The audience is a silent guest into Toto’s struggles, his ideology, his intimate relationship with his son, and the culture surrounding his small coastal town.
After 40 years of hand-mining, Toto’s health is in rapid decline. He’s suffered a stroke and other significant injuries resulting from the grueling physical conditions of hand-mining: the cold, the body strain, and the hazardous conditions. In need of money to pay his medical bills and to sustain himself, Toto must continue to mine. Witnessing his father’s vicious cycle of labor and deterioration, Toto’s son, Jorge Gesell Bañados, sets out to engineer a gold-harvesting machine designed to ease his father’s burden and extend his life.
Progress on the gold harvesting machine is slow. Jorge works a full time job in road construction, contributing to the machine in his rare spare time. Meanwhile, Toto continues to mine out of necessity. In 2020, the machine still sits unfinished. While assisting his father in the mine, Jorge tragically witnesses Toto suffer from a sudden seizure. Through unforgiving nature, clashing personalities, nihilism, and enduring love, the fight to finish the gold-harvesting machine carries on to ensure both Toto’s and Jorge’s future.
Director Alfredo Pourailly De La Plaza is a Chilean documentary filmmaker and photographer known for his emotional and honest depictions of global heritage, focusing on Chile and the Tierra del Fuego region. Pouralilly De La Plaza partners with Lieca cameras to explore the Beagle Channe in this interview. Recommended
Which on-campus clubs would benefit from watching The Fabulous Gold Harvesting Machine ?
Clubs and groups focusing on Latin American culture, Spanish clubs and classes, or screenings celebrating life, tradition, the family unit, and global heritage would benefit from screening this film. The Fabulous Gold Harvesting Machine is also a cinematic educational tool for research based learning, video journalism, or documentary film clubs/courses.
Would The Fabulous Gold Harvesting Machine be good library education for Hispanic Heritage month?
Hispanic heritage month celebrates not only the inclusion and visibility of Hispanic cultural influences within the United States, but also recognizes the independence of Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Mexico, and Chile (Sept. 18) The Fabulous Gold Harvesting Machine offers a distinct look into modern Chilean island culture and family dynamics. The film celebrates the outstanding beauty of Tierra del Fuego, and the resiliency of the people who call it home.
Enjoyed this review? Subscribe to Video Librarian today for access to over 40,000 pages of film resources tailored for librarians, educators, and non-theatrical audiences.