The Hole in the Fence
[El hoyo en la cerca], directed by Joaquín Del Paso, Mexico / Poland 2021, 100'
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Each year, the students of a prestigious Mexican Catholic boys’ school go to an integration camp outside the city, to a place where – under the watchful eye of their tutors – they shape their characters and attitudes to become part of the intellectual elite of their country in the future.
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The apparent calm is disturbed on the first day, when the boys discover a hole in the fence separating the camp from the neighbouring village. The feeling of unease among the students is strengthened by stories of criminal activities taking place there. The boys are gradually overcome by doubts, until collective hysteria develops, with the aim of eliminating the weakest links from the group.
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- Joaquín del Paso’s film, partially based on his own experiences, is a story about the dangerous relationship between religion and power. The Hole in the Fence is a thriller that criticizes the education system based on indoctrination, but also a universal story about the ruthless way in which future leaders are created.
