I wanted to tell the story of a couple who become members of this community by chance and who try to escape, Gallenberger said in Screen Media Films press release. The moment of the arrest was captured on camera: Men with PFA (Policia Federal Argentina) emblazoned in yellow on the backs of their flak jackets ran from a van and surrounded a single-storey villa in a rural a suburb south of Buenos Aires. Lena and Daniel, a young couple become entangled in the Chilean military coup of 1973. One that might have more effectively conveyed to film viewers outside the strictures of a romance-based suspense picture. The run and chase continued between Pius and the couple. Daniel is eventually abducted by the secret police of army chief and dictator-to-be Augusto Pinochet, and is tracked by Lena to a sealed-off area called Colonia Dignidad ('Dignity Colony . He says: They put it all over my body, in my head, in my mouth. I only grabbed it because I think Emma Watson is a fine actress and I like good political/historical thrillers. The ironically named Colonia Dignidad was a cult founded in 1961 by convicted German paedophile Paul Schfer and a group of fellow German immigrants who settled in Chile. I knew good things were gonna happen. The story is really captivating and you really hope for a good ending for the entire movie. Relationships: Daniel (husband) Family: TBA. The Colonia presents itself as a charitable mission run by a lay preacher, but is in fact a place from which no one has ever escaped. Witnesses claimed to The Independent's Phil Davison that Schfer made everyone in the colony call him "Eternal Uncle," and that Schfer was always surrounded by a cadre of young boys whom he would keep in line with tranquilizers and electric shocks, and whose parents were kept separate from them and drugged. All t. Colonia - retitled The Colony in the UK - intertwines the fictional account of two young lovers caught up in the 1973 military coup that propelled Pinochet to power, with the true story of Colonia Dignidad. But before I get into my plot summary, I think that a little historical context is in order: In September 1973, a U.S.-backed military coup wrested control of the government of Chile from democratically-elected socialist president Salvador Allende and placed power in the hands of army commander-in-chief Augusto Pinochet. I was even surprised when at the beginning I saw the name "Emma Watson". The only criticism I can make is that the love story is average in comparison to the rest. I was forbidden to speak and had no sense of time. Schfer is also said to have partnered with Chilean dictator General Augusto Pinochets secret service during his ruling and allowed Colonia Dignidad to serve as a torture camp for his prisoners. 'COLONIA': Three and a Half Stars (Out of Five), I saw this on Netflix streaming. The film is about a young stewardess, Lena, who enters Colonia Dignidad to save her lover, Daniel. The colony was segregated according to gender and age. Imagine my surprise when it took a turn to Chilean/Deutschland Jonestown!!! Ericks mother had clung on to the hope her son was alive after his image was broadcast on television soon after his arrest. Thanks Emma for granting my wish. A religious cult in Chile run by ex-Nazis?!? The details of the film's subject matter aren't well known, but Watson's role in Colonia will help to give the sinister story some much-needed exposure. While Lena is allowed to run again after a short time, Daniel is taken to the isolated Colonia Dignidad camp in the south of the country. Relatives on both sides say the couple were parents to one child . Colonia es una pelcula dirigida por Florian Gallenberger con Emma Watson, Daniel Brhl. But his nightmare was far from over as he was taken back to Villa Grimaldi and then the Tres Alamos concentration camp. Aware of how he would be a target of Pinochets military, Daniel left his house with Lena. Most of them dont talk openly about what happened there. Her German husband (Daniel Brhl) is taken away by Pinochet's secret police while protesting the dictator, and Watson's character attempts to track him down. When we entered the grounds of Colonia Dignidad, I had a feeling that this moment would be my last.. The end product is a standard-issue cult drama that nevertheless has its gripping moments thanks mainly to the presence of Emma Watson, who brings an intelligence and fierce determination to her portrayal of an airline attendant whose layover in Santiago de Chile turns out to be anything but brief. In order to find her beloved, Lena decides to join the cult . April 14, 2016. As the Chilean National Commission for Truth and Reconciliation Report confirmed and Al Jazeera reports, Pinochet's DINA secret police (his national intelligence agency officers) routinely brought prisoners to Schfer, where they were allegedly viciously tortured and eventually killed, allegedly by Schfer himself much of the time. Daniel seems shocked as Lena confesses: 'I joined up to find you.' Frantic scenes showing the couple plotting their escape follow, as the brutality inside the commune intensifies. Previously, many thought that Noel was leaving after the winter finale, when her character was the victim of a brutal stabbing. It really is worth your time and chapeau to Emma for this performance! The routine was very tough and they suffered a lot.Nagy says some of them are still being treated by psychiatrists and are on medication. Colonia (2015) Lena and Daniel, a young couple become entangled in the Chilean military coup of 1973. Whether they are together or not, it appears they are still very friendly and close based on his recent social media posts. It caused intense unrest and, then, in September 1973, led to the US-backed revolt and Allendes suicide. It was only in the late 90s that the citizens of Chile became more aware of the activities conducted at the colony. Alma is a recovering addict. Truth behind secret Nazi paedophile sect where beasts raped 'slaves' in Chilean commune, 'REFUSING TO GO QUIETLY': Prince Andrew demands mansion 'fit for a king' on REGAL estate from Charles - and 'top role' in royal family despite being KICKED OUT, PartyGate rulebreaking would've been obvious to Boris Johnson - because he was THERE, Family left heartbroken with wife in tears after being kicked out of a pantomime show, Jeremy Kyle Show guest who famously had skull inked on face tragically dies, Roberto Firmino leaving Liverpool and lucrative bonus he sacrificed sums him up, New Partygate WhatsApp messages show No10 aides feared stories on Downing St 'p**s ups' getting out - meaning THEY KNEW they were breaking Covid laws, Dolly Parton's hit songwriter David Lindley dies, Ferry catches fire in English Channel with 183 people on board as lifeboats scramble, Denise Welch tears up as she announces she's become a grandma for the first time, Mum shouts at kids for being loud at night - but CCTV showed the sinister truth, Ruth Madoc glittering career as she makes final on-screen appearance after death aged 79, Michael Vaughan blasts cricket racism hearing as a "terrible look for the game", Subscribe to Daily Mirror and Sunday Mirror newspapers. Colonia Dignidad was reportedly attractive to locals as well as it offered free schooling, hospital care and jobs. Something went wrong, please try again later. Shrinking Episode 7: Recap And Ending, Explained: How Does Jimmys Apology Tour Go After The Party? Inspirada en sucesos reales, Colonia cuenta la historia de Lena (Emma Watson) y Daniel (Daniel Bruhl), una joven pareja que se ve involucrada en el golpe militar de Chile de 1973. Office Address: 225 West State Street - 2nd Floor. DOS Home > New Jersey State Archives > Search the Collections > Catalog > Municipal Birth, Marriage and Death Records. Someone who loves you. When Lena denies being attached, the man reveals he thinks shes lying, but her answers appear to satisfy him. Film History and feminist reading of cinema are her areas of interest. Colonia, directed by Florian Gallenberger, is a thriller based on true events. Leena and Daniel were tricked by an embassy member and were locked away from the airport. Daniel is abducted by Pinochet's secret police and Lena tracks him to a sealed off area in the South of the country, called Colonia Dignidad. And yesterday, going out of the working place with the knowledge that nothing has helped - my colleagues still only interested in their own careers, without any empathy for the weak. The film attempts to spin a thriller story inside the larger and more important history of Colonia Dignidad, a torture, rape and death place run like a religious cult by a pedophile Nazi ex-nurse preacher in collaboration with both the Chilean and German authorities. Movie Info. Thanks, for that great movie. There was only one rule and that was Paul Schaefers rule, he says, and in the time he was in charge he developed a system whereby he could brain wash and torture the community more and more., For his research, Gallenberger visited Villa Baviera on several occasions. Where Is Jung Myung Seok Now? There were hundreds of torture camps that have been well documented, Siavelis says, And Colonia Dignidad was one of them.. LONDON "Harry Potter" star Emma Watson and Daniel Bruhl ("Rush") will topline thriller "Colonia," which will shoot in Luxembourg, Munich, Berlin and South America until the end of the year. Lena Hernandez, who was dubbed "SoCal Karen" and "Torrance Karen" after a video of her making racist rants in a public park surfaced, was arrested by police and charged with misdemeanor . Hana Yousufzai HIS 102 Extra Credit 3 Movie Review: Colonia (2015) Lena, a flight attendant, Heinz Kunz, an ex-settler who left the group in the Eighties, told Maldavsky: I cant begin to tell you how hard he made me work. The colony was founded in 1961 by Schfer (played by Michael Nyqvist in the film), a former Nazi colonel who fled Germany for Chile after being accused of sexually molesting young boys, according to Phil Davison of The Independent (Schfer was never tried for these specific charges). "Colonia" is a romantic thriller set in the Chile of ousted strongman dictator General Augusto Pinochet. Adrian Chen reviews How to Hide an Empire, by Daniel Immerwahr, a history of U.S. imperialism that covers Teddy Roosevelt, the Philippines, and America's overseas holdings. Por Que? he asks. Randy Roth From 'A Rose For Her Grave' Is Still In Prison, Theres More Than One Way To Watch The 2023 Oscars Live In The UK, The Subject Of This Netflix True Crime Doc Is Now Guilty Of Murdering His Wife & Son, Morgan Doughty Filed A Lawsuit Against The Murdaugh Family, Get Even More From Bustle Sign Up For The Newsletter. He died of heart failure, aged 88, just five years into his sentence. Living Characters And Themes, Explained: What Is The Meaning Of Rodneys Mission To Build The Playground? YouTube Daniel LaRusso and Kumiko spend time together in The Karate Kid Part II. But he was an unlikely looking Messiah: he had long grey hair and a glass eye (after an accident with a fork when he was younger, caused by using it to untie his shoelaces).Members lived together in dormitories; they were allowed few personal possessions; Schaefer controlled relationships, and who was allowed to marry who. Read at your own risk.] If you thought the "Colonia" movie was a complete work of fiction . Summaries. Colonia, directed by Florian Gallenberger, is a thriller based on true events. Superb acting by Emma Watson and Daniel Brhl made the movie an even more intense experience. Every utopian community must have a leader, and for the vast majority of its existence, Colonia Dignidads was Paul Schaefer. The Colonia presents itself as a charitable mission run by lay preacher Paul Schfer but, in fact, is a . Shallow, predictable thriller filled with clichs and genre stereotypes, US and German Foreign Policy and the 1973 Coup in Chile. The organization was secretive, and the Colonia was surrounded by barbed wire fences, and featured a watchtower and . That whole area has become some sort of sinister tourist attraction and people claim that hotel staff is friendly and the restaurant offers great meals. 10. Colonia Dignidad was the German equivalent to Jonestown. As a human being we have natural defences, but each time it happened my body would completely break down, it would go into shock. He died a year after Evan was born leading their parents to become distant from Maddie and Evan. Daniel showed the pictures he had taken at the colony to the embassy. Pic, which is helmed by Florian Gallenberger ("John Rabe"), tells the story of Lena and Daniel, a young couple who become entangled in the. After her turns as a crass version of herself in 2013's This Is the End and as a possible victim of satanic sexual abuse in last year's Regression, Emma Watson continues her streak of challenging and disturbing roles with her latest film, Colonia. When Daniel (played by German actor Daniel Brhl) is abducted by Pinochet's secret police, Lena (Watson) sets about trying to find him . When her pro-Allende German activist boyfriend, Daniel (Daniel Bruhl), is apprehended and tortured by Augusto Pinochets secret police, Watsons Lena manages to infiltrate the Colonia Dignidad, the compound holding him, which is fronted by a religious cult presided over by a monstrous ex-Nazi named Paul Schfer (Michael Nyqvist). Daniel is interrogated and tortured, but feigns severe mental deterioration to stay alive. Desperate to find her boyfriend, Lena decided to enter Colonia Dignidad, a cult organization separated from the outside world. I think there should be a lot more movies with the purpose to make people aware of what is going on in this film. Email: Feedback@sos.nj.gov. Based on true events. Chile, 1973. Her boyfriend Daniel (played by Daniel Brhl) is . Now for the acting itself I thought Emma Watson did a really good job. Only a total of 5 cult members managed to escape out of the colony in 40 years. Bavarian music is piped from speakers, there are restaurants, and animals to pet. The men and women-only intermingled during the mixed parades, which were conducted for special guests. Copyright IBTimes 2023. Its plot told the horror story of a small fascist model state in Southern Chile, where a German preacher, Paul Schfer, leads a cult . Erick, who worked for the UN in human rights until he retired seven years ago, admits his experiences, however traumatic, have given him a valuable lesson in life. A voice off-screen shouts: Bajen las armas. A young couple and their vehicle vanished into thin air way back in 2005, and there has not been one solid clue to help authorities figure out exactly what happened. The Colonia presents itself as a charitable mission run by lay preacher Paul Schfer but, in . By subscribing to this BDG newsletter, you agree to our. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); document.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); COPYRIGHT Digital Mafia Talkies | DMT. Today, Colonia Dignidad is still there, and many of the same people who lived under Schaefers rule live on the property. Related It conjures many ethical questions and portrays what humanity is capable of. 10 Days Of A Good Man Ending, Explained: Did Sadik Find Tevfik And The Mastermind Behind His Disappearance? Neither German ambassador officials nor members of the Pinochet regime were ever hold accountable for the abominable crimes against humanity such as imprisonment, torture and murder that happened there for several decades. So this also makes a couple of things more than predictable. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, All the winners of the 2023 Independent Spirit Awards: live updates, The Scream 6 publicity stunts hit closer to home, prompting 911 calls in Sonoma, Review: Andrea Riseborough and campy Please Baby Please deconstruct gender and the 1950s, Desperate mountain residents trapped by snow beg for help; We are coming, sheriff says, Newsom, IRS give Californians until October to file tax returns, Californias snowpack is approaching an all-time record, with more on the way, Bruce Willis steps out with friends after announcement of dementia diagnosis, Disneys Peter Pan & Wendy trailer criticized for depictions of Hook and Tinker Bell, Gayle King surprises Angela Bassett with her Whats Love Got to Do With It dress, Review: Operation Fortune: Ruse de guerre is classic Guy Ritchie and not in a good way, Review: The teen drama Palm Trees and Power Lines tells a searing story of abuse, Review: The documentary Ithaka attempts a difficult defense of Julian Assange, Look up: The 32 most spectacular ceilings in Los Angeles, Winter storms ease drought conditions in California, report shows, 19 cafes that make L.A. a world-class coffee destination, This fabled orchid breeder loves to chat just not about Trader Joes orchids, Best coffee city in the world? There were some moments I couldnt believe what I was hearing - that really questioned what it meant to be human, he says.In April, German foreign minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier ordered documents about the colony to be declassified. THE COLONY - Official UK Trailer with Emma Watson exploring Chiles 1973 military coup, Colony and concentration camp survivor Erick Zott Chuecas, Emma Watson and Daniel Bruhl in The Colony, The main entrance of Colonia Dignidad in Parral, Families of Chile's disappeared hang up posters of missing relatives on the fence surrounding the compound of Colonia Dignidad. This film tells the story of two German citizens who are in Chile under Pinochet dictatorship. Bittersweet Ending: Lena and Daniel manage to leave the Colony - and then Chile - alive, but the Colony and Pinochet's dictatorship last for many years more. There are also no secrets - and its open to the public. Valiant and wily, Lena travels to Colonia and offers herself up to Schfer as a follower. The Colony (Colonia) review - ripping yarn hits the wrong tone. All Rights Reserved. Yes it is acting. Such torture methods were used when the colony functioned as a secret detention camp from 1973 to 1985. You must have a boyfriend. You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times. Set during Augusto Pinochet's 1973 military coup in Chile, Colonia follows couple Lena (Watson) and Daniel (Daniel Brhl) to a cult compound, where leftist political activist Daniel is tortured . They told my mum I was free, living abroad. It was an isolated cult led by a megalomaniac pedophile fugitive who collaborated with Chilean dictator Pinochet for decades. She contacted the UN, Amnesty International, various embassies and the Church, begging them to help. Schfer himself was sentenced to 20 years in prison for sexual abuse in 2006 at the age of 84, according to the BBC. Lufthansa flight attendant Lena (Emma Watson) is in Santiago to visit her boyfriend, Daniel (Daniel . Daniel is a West German photographer and an activist who took part in Chilean politics. He made posters supporting President Allende, who aligned with his Marxist vision. Its not like it used to be. Whats more, Schaefer also struck a deal with Chilean president Augusto Pinochet the ruthless dictator who ruled Chile between 1974 and 1990. Also it is a real eyeopener that there is so much going on in the world that we (I) am not aware of. But its a lot better right now, he says. Doro, who became friends with Lena, was punished for her desire to marry her lover, whom she met three years back during the mixed parade. Emma Watson as Lena and Daniel Brhl as Daniel in a scene from "Colonia.". His almost-Messianic status within the group meant his abuse of children would go unchallenged. Here a writer, a director, a camera man, a cast prove that at least they care. Very glad, that my day ended with that relief. When Daniel (played by German actor Daniel Brhl) is abducted by Pinochet's secret police, Lena (Watson) sets about trying to find him, eventually tracing him to the cult. To me Colonia is one of the better movies I saw lately. Colonia began with the visual representation of the unstable condition of Chile in the year 1973, while the song Aint no sunshine (Bill Withers) played along. The barb wire-surrounded fortress of Colonia Dignidad was allegedly made possible by Schfer's alliance with Pinochet. Daniel is interrogated and tortured, but feigns severe mental deterioration to stay alive. Daniel is sent off to be re-educated. After a season at odds, Lena and Kara finally made amends and restored their friendship in the Season 5 finale of Supergirl. Michael Nyqvist and Richenda Carey, who played Gisela, we're pretty scary throughout the movie, so I have to commend them for there performance but there wasn't much depth to the characters because the storyline jumps from a happy couple in bed, to a couple split apart, living in a cult. It all started really promising and the further the movie went on the more disturbed I was by it. Emma Watson and Daniel Brhl make a swashbuckling escape from a dark corner of Chilean history in this ill-judged romantic thrilller. ", Yes, people actually do that and others fall for that, just like in the movie. Is He Dead Or Alive? A month after his arrest, he ended up at Colonia Dignidad. It was founded by German fugitive Paul Schfer who had his followers call him "Pius". Ebone Noel was missing from the first episode of 'FBI' Season 3. The Netflix documentary, Colonia Dignidad, is the third such piece that addresses the case of this sect that brought Nazism to Latin America to torture minors and adults. The Colonia presents itself as a charitable mission run by lay preacher Paul Schfer but, in fact, is a place nobody ever escaped from. Once he had a draft, he found out the home address of German film director Florian Gallenberger (who had won an Oscar in 2001 for his short film Quiero ser) and sent him a copy.Wenzel says Gallenberger called him to tell him he liked it; that in fact hed been thinking about Colonia Dignidad as a subject for some time, but hadnt found a way to tell the story in a way people could identify with. But if you ask an average Chilean who is not a Pinochetista, Colonia Dignidad or Villa Baviera have tremendously negative connotations. Lena decides to join the cult in order to find Daniel. After several years on the run, Schfer was arrested in Argentina at the age of 84 in March 2005. The Chilean police denied permission for take-off, but the pilot decided to proceed anyhow, knowing the danger Lena was in. He held perverted religious ceremonies and being a fancier of young boys often called the adult women "sluts. Postcolonialism signals a possible future of overcoming colonialism, yet new forms of domination or subordination can . Inside the terrifying Nazi cult that inspired Emma Watson's new film. Lufthansa flight attendant Lena (Watson) is in Santiago to visit her boyfriend, Daniel (Brhl), a talented graphic artist creating images in . Inspired by true events, Colonia tells the story of Lena and Daniel, a young couple, who become entangled in the Chilean military coup of 1973. Im not able to say how many times they did it exactly, but they did it a lot of the time it was the way it was. Colonia, also known as The Colony, is a 2015 movie directed by Florian Gallenberger ().In the midst of the Chilean military coup of 1973, Lena and her boyfriend Daniel are arrested by Augusto Pinochet's secret police. All Images property of their respective owners. Pinochet would send dissenters to Colonia Dignidad to be imprisoned and tortured, an episode to which German diplomats working in the Chilean embassy turned a blind eye.Now a new film starring Emma Watson attempts to shed renewed light on this dark chapter in Chilean history. The 67-year-old says: Its a horror story, that in reality lasted more than four decades, summed up in just under two hours. In the latest season of Cobra Kai, Tamlyn Tomita returned as Daniel LaRusso's (Ralph Macchio) ex-girlfriend . An estimated 45,000 people were rounded up, interrogated and tortured in Chile. Not in a bad way though because I really liked this movie. Watsons character is later seen conforming to the religious sects rules by wearing a uniform, working to serve God, praying, and being abused. All in all, it's one of the best movies I've seen this year and cannot be compared with the commercial films normally shown in cinemas. He forced them to live in dormitories segregated by gender, and with parents separated from their children, whom Schfer sexually molested. It is based on the real Colonia Dignidad (or Dignity Colony) in rural Chile. Schmidtke wants official acknowledgement of what happened, as well as money to help him and his wife Katharina - another Colonia Dignidad survivor - raise their two young daughters. Anyhow, I don't want to give anything away, just suffice to say - this is worth your time watching! The contents is real, except for the love story that forms the golden thread. The existence of this place alone until this date is a slap in the face for victims and survivors alike. The Colonia presents itself as a charitable mission run by ex-Nazi Paul Schfer but, in fact, is a place from which no one has ever escaped. Yes, then such a movie is terrible refreshing. Women were disregarded by the Pius and were kept away from the men for their filth. Colonia is a marriage of a political thriller and an unforgettable love story set during one of the Cold War's darkest chapters. Her boyfriend Daniel (Daniel Brhl) is sympathetic to President Salvador Allende when the military under General Augusto Pinochet stage a coup. En Colonia, el cineasta alemn construye un relato que bascula entre dos gneros. They told us where the furniture was, and the bed, told us what Schaefer did. by Johnny Brayson. "Alina and I [on] our first morning in Turkey," the Arizona resident . See her real-life dating drama with Jack Antonoff and love story with Luis Felber! At times the coincidences overpower to the point that it seems a little too convenient. This juxtaposition of violence and R&B gives an artistic edge to the film's opening scenes, but unfortunately, this visual isn't sustained throughout the film. Erick was tortured at Colonia Dignidad for just over a week but he knows he was one of the lucky ones, adding: It was a relief to leave and that I was still alive.. The worst thing is that there still is a colony called Villa Baviera that has taken Colonia Dignidad's place. It's just because the movie is based on true facts and that makes you realize how some people are just not worth living on this planet. The movie, which stars Harry Potter actress Emma Watson as a women who finds herself living in a cult-like sec in 1973 while looking for her abducted boyfriend, is based on a true events. Claudio Salinas, the author of a book on Colonia Dignidad, appeared in a Spanish-language documentary about the sect in 2007, directed by Jose Maldavsky. Lena is a woman who ruins her marriage with an affair and then indirectly sends her husband on a suicide mission. The film was intense throughout and whilst it missed out a lot of the horrors that went on within the colony it is likely through the eyes of the 2 characters given how separated they were that they would not have seen the child abuse so it is not a problem for me as this is not a depiction of Paul Schaefer but of this couple. The Colony is in cinemas and available on demand now. The two were soon captured by Pinochets men when they spotted Daniel taking pictures of the harassment caused by them. P.O. And that its now an open society - residents can come and go, children can study. Colonia Dignidad changed its name to Villa Baviera in 1991 and has become a tourist resort with a German-themed restaurant and hotel. Sadly, the photographs could not create an impact in Chile. Daniel and his older sister Maddie were a year apart and when he was four he was diagnosed with juvenile leukemia. I never heard of Colonia Dignidad before and now that I have I wonder how the hell I never heard about that scandalous and disgusting sect before. He also expressed regret that his country's diplomats failed for years to act on the abuses.Chris Nagy has lived at Villa Baviera for the past eight years. I can't think of another movie that comes close to comparing with it. With the fear of getting caught constantly lurking, Colonia is a captivating watch. Most people were kept under 24-hour surveillance and had no clue what was going on, he says.I ask whether those that remain there are still suffering. He provided refuge for Nazi fugitives like Auschwitzs Angel of Death Dr Josef Mengele , as well producing weapons and poison gas for Pinochets regime. NJ State Archives. In its heyday, the group had 300 members, most of which included German immigrants. The film is about a young stewardess, Lena, who enters Colonia Dignidad to save her lover, Daniel. Contact Information. In four decades he turned the harmless, if eccentric, agricultural community into an isolated cult, with watchtowers and weapons. Like Emma Watsons character, its residents were kept as virtual slaves and forced to work in the fields. I didn't care for the love story, but it drove the film. While Erick suffered many different types of torture , electricity was used most often. Schfer was a fugitive, accused of child molestation in West Germany.The organization he led in Chile was described, alternatively, as a cult or as a group of "harmless eccentrics". He says 95% of his time there was spent horizontally. Before and during the brutal military dictatorship of Pinochet in Chile, this guy ran the colony for 33 years, only being accused, then running away, then being caught and convicted at 84 years old, much too late for anything.