Días de Santiago. Dir. Josué Méndez. Perú, 2004. 83 min. The Editing Approach. A Lens into the Influence of the Military. in Josué Méndez’s Días de Santiago.

 

 

In Josué Méndez’s 2004 film Dias de Santiago, he presents the spectator with a protagonist who is emotionally and psychologically consumed with a militaristic mentality. Santiago, a veteran from the Peruvian Cenepa Conflict with Ecuador in 1995, enters back into civilian life as a shadow and a mere shell of who he once was. Even though he is free from his soldier obligations, his mind is still filled with military strategies and codes of behavior. From his desire for constant control to his method of approaching women, he cannot escape or break away from the army conscience. Based on a Third Cinema perspective, Méndez is able to depict the significance of the military on Santiago’s life through his style of editing. Through his use of cuts, shifts in film color and the use of voice-over, the director reflects how the military state of mind holds the reins to Santiago’s actions, ultimately alluding to the contemporary plight of Peruvian youth.