Full Breakdown
Lucrecia Martel’s “Our Land” Shines Light on Indigenous Murder Case and Argentina’s Colonial Legacy
5/7/2026, 1:27:33 AM
Documentary Focus: The 2009 Murder of Javier Chocobar
‘Our Land’ (Nuestro Territorio), directed by Argentine filmmaker Lucrecia Martel, documents the 2009 killing of Indigenous activist Javier Chocobar in Tucumán province. Chocobar was shot during a land dispute with the Chuschagasta community, an Indigenous group that has lived in the region for generations. Martel frames the homicide as a symptom of ongoing dispossession.
Historical Context: Colonial Dispossession and Identity Narratives
Argentine public education teaches that Indigenous peoples “no longer exist,” while national rhetoric celebrates European immigration. Many Argentines cite Italian immigration of the 1800s as central to national identity. Martel notes that more than half of Argentines have Indigenous ancestors, yet the state consistently rejects Indigenous land claims. She describes racism as a foundational element of Argentine history, linking the Chocobar case to a long legacy of colonial dispossession.
Legal Timeline
- 2009 – Chocobar shot.
- 2018 – Attackers convicted.
- 2020 – Appeal freed the murderers.
- Sep 2025 – “Our Land” premieres at the Venice Film Festival.
- Oct 2025 – Sentence upheld; two attackers return to prison (one died earlier).
- May 2026 – Documentary released nationwide.
Impact of the Film
Martel argues cinema should change perception rather than comfort the privileged. Produced over fourteen years, the documentary’s exposure prompted the October 2025 reversal that returned two perpetrators to prison. It also highlighted a video used as a weapon and gave the Chuschagasta community an archive of case documents, strengthening their legal capacity.
Martel’s Official Statements
Martel stresses that cinema can support community struggles and that Argentine history has consistently rejected Indigenous peoples. She argues filmmakers must use the medium to reveal systemic racism rather than to placate privileged audiences.
Criticism and Opposition
The 2020 appellate decision that freed the murderers illustrates institutional resistance to accountability. Martel also highlights Argentine schooling that has taught the population to believe Indigenous peoples no longer exist, a narrative that underpins the case’s initial impunity.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Sources differ on the 2020 appeal’s immediate effect: one report says the three attackers were set free, another notes that a month after the Venice premiere the sentence was upheld and two men returned to prison. The precise legal mechanisms of the reversal are not detailed.
Verbatim Quotes
- “Racism is a foundational element,” — Lucrecia Martel, Director
- “Communities wage the fight but cinema helps,” — Lucrecia Martel, Director
- “It’s wrong to prevent a human being from speaking about their own history because they are not a woman, because they are not Black, or because they are not Indigenous,” — Lucrecia Martel, Director
- “There is something ruthless and utterly devoid of sanity at the heart of this film industry, and I’ve never felt that darkness as clear as in ‘Mulholland Drive,’” — Lucrecia Martel, Director
What’s Next
“The documentary opens Friday,” Martel says, indicating a national theatrical run that could shape further public debate and legal action on Indigenous land rights in Argentina.
