Henry Vallejo’s film Powerful Chief (Manco Cápac) is Peru’s official Oscar entry for Best International Feature Film at the 94th Academy Awards taking place on March 27, 2022 at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood. The film has garnered accolades across the board and is among the favorites on the shortlist in the race for the Oscar, per Variety Magazine’s 2022 Oscars predictions.
It is a powerful film that presents the story in a minimalist fashion, with not much dialogue or any special effects. The stark sounds of the city provide the perfect background to allow the story to develop and engage the audience.
Filmed in Spanish and Quechua in the southern city of Puno, Powerful Chief tells the story of Elisban (JesusLuque), a young man who migrates from the countryside to the city of Puno in search of work only to find himself homeless and penniless in a city that seemingly ignores his plight with fierce indifference. Elisban survives by taking small, unstable jobs that lead to nowhere but despite the adversities, he perseveres and continues on his journey with his dignity intact.
Ten years in the making, Powerful Chief, Vallejo’s second feature film, and much like the protagonist in the film, Vallejo’s story is one of perseverance and the will to win. “It’s a story that anyone can relate to, and the central theme is ultimately perseverance, just as was the case with the filming,” explains Vallejo, who had to overcome several obstacles that delayed production every step of the way. “In the end, the film aims to tell a simple, socially relevant, challenging story that pays tribute to the Incas.”
Manco Capac had its theatrical release in Peruvian cinemas on December 9??, after a successful festival run and receiving awards from the 24?? Festival de Cine Lima 2020 (Best Actor), the Peruvian Association of Cinematographic Press APRECI 2020 (Best Peruvian Film, Best Actor and Best Screenplay) and participating in several international film festivals such as AL ESTE Festival de Cine de Europa Central y Oriental (Argentina y Colombia), People of Color International (New York), Global Migration Film Festival (Switzerland), Latin American Film Festival of La Plata (Argentina) and 30?? Biarritz Amérique Latine Festival (France).
Director Henry Vallejo a native of Puno, Peru, has always dreamed of making movies. Growing up in a tie-knit family, his siblings were always supportive of him and encouraged him to pursue his goals. He found his passion for storytelling at the age of 20 and dreamt of becoming a filmmaker. Without much of an opportunity to go to film or acting school, he chose to study Mass Communications as a means to get into the film industry. Working as a tour guide, the money he earned enough money to purchase his first Hi8 video camera which he made his first short film with in 2001. Upon completion and purely by intuition, he directed his first feature film, The Mystery of the Kharisiri, in 2004.
In 2005, Vallejo traveled to Cuba to attend a workshop at the International School of Film and Television at San Antonio de los Baños. In 2007, he earned a certificate in screenwriting and film production from the University of Antioquia in Medellin, Colombia. And in 2010 he embarked on what has become his most important film to date, Powerful Chief (Manco Cápac).
After eleven years of arduous labor and several setbacks, Powerful Chief finally made it to the big screen, opening to sold-out theaters in Peru on December 9, 2021. With the support of his family, Vallejo’s dream of becoming a filmmaker has not only become a reality but more importantly, he is a testament to the notion that through hard work and determination, dreams do come true.
The Peruvian Ministry of Culture is one of the hosts of the “For Your Consideration” currently being screened. “Powerful Chief is a beautiful and sharp representation, with a genuinely remarkable sociological analysis, of an Andean society struggling to fit into the modern world. Puno is a city full of traditions, international tourists and economic strength, that attracts a young man looking for a way to survive”, Conrado Falco, Trade Commission of Peru in Los Angeles / PROMPERÚ explains. “Vallejo, the director, shows us impartially but implicitly an in-depth view of this society and shows us how the main character refuses to give up but instead seeks to stand out in an honorable way”.
