The humorous road drama, My Friend (in Spanish, Mi Socio) is considered by many to be Bolivia’s most important film and is likely the nation’s most watched movie.
Directed by Paolo Agazzi, the film was nominated for the Golden Prize in 1983 at the Moscow International Film Festival.
My Friend depicts life in Bolivia during the 1980s and uses interesting camera techniques to show off stunning countryside vistas.
The story begins with the happy scenes of a man and boy working together as they drive across the country in a truck. The boy is even carrying a puppy to emphasize their enjoyment.
However, while stopped at the side of the road to take a break, the boy is tragically killed by another truck.
After briefly grieving the boy, the man does bite the bullet and carries on with his work but requires a new helper.
After another boy hears of the chance, desperate to get away from his current job, he stows away on the truck and the two begin working together. Soon, an unlikely friendship is born.
A la comedia dramática de carretera, Mi Socio, muchos la consideran la película más importante de Bolivia y la más vista en el país.
La obra, dirigida por Paolo Agazzi, fue nominada en 1983 para el Premio de Oro del Festival Internacional de Cine de Moscú.
Mi Socio representa la vida en Bolivia durante los años 1980 y utiliza interesantes técnicas de cámara para mostrar las maravillosas vistas del campo.
La historia empieza con una escena alegre en la que un hombre y un niño trabajan juntos mientras conducen un camión a través del país. El niño, incluso, lleva un cachorro para enfatizar su felicidad.
Sin embargo, mientras se detienen a la orilla de la carrera, el niño muere debido a un accidente con otro camión.
Después de llorar al chico por un breve tiempo, el hombre hace de tripas corazón y sigue con su trabajo, pero necesita de otro ayudante.
Después de que otro niño desesperado por salirse de su trabajo actual, se entera de la oportunidad y viaja de polizón en el camión, los dos empiezan a trabajar juntos; rápidamente nace una peculiar amistad.
SPANISH LESSON
“Después de llorar al niño por un breve tiempo, el hombre hace de tripas corazón y sigue con su trabajo”.
‘Hacer de tripas corazón’ (to bite the bullet’)… Changing the intestines for the heart? Yes, in some situations. Since ancient times the heart has been considered as the organ where emotions are located.
The fact that its pace quickens in situations such as fear, love or danger and gets calm in times of sadness or listlessness, led to this belief. Today, it is known that the heart is not the recipient of any feeling, but it is still considered – in a figurative sense – as the depositary of love, grief, courage, hate, fear, and all kind of emotions.
However, when we are going through a situation of a strong emotional burden and we should ignore the feelings in order to be able to go forward, it is said that the heart is replaced with the guts, wanting to express that other organs (or guts) must take the heart’s place and continue to fulfill its function, but without the added burden of that feeling.
Examples: “Tenía miedo de entrar en la casa donde se escuchaban los gritos, pero hice de tripas corazón y salvé a la niña”. (“I was afraid to enter the house where the screams were heard, but I did bite the bullet and saved the girl”)
“Al morir su madre, Ana tuvo que hacer de tripas corazón y seguir adelante con su vida”. (“ When her mother died, Ana had to bite the bullet and get on with her life.”)