Last Monday we continued our Miami Film Festival viewings with “El Bano del Papa / The Pope’s Toilet."  Screened at the Gusman Theatre...

playing the Mighty Wurlitzer organ before the show

....it’s a work of historical fiction based on the Pope’s visit to a remote Uruguayan village in 1988. “El Bano del Papa” is a beautifully shot film from two Uruguayan directors , one of which participated in a question and answer session – along with the two leading actors – after the film.

And then on Saturday we saw “Stranded – I’ve Come From A Plane That Crashed In The Mountains,” a powerful documentary about a 1972 airplane crash in the Andes.

The director came out for a few minutes before the film began and spoke a bit about the production, which was creative and highly effective in conveying the intensity of the story. A few of the Montevideo scenes were shot in the neighborhood where we stay when we visit.

The entire film is such a glimpse into the Uruguayan culture – the accents, gestures, architecture, landscapes. Although you’ll need a box of tissues to get though it, “Stranded” is well worth watching for this reason alone.