Days of Santiago

First-time director Josue Mendez adds his remarkable work to the ongoing Cinema Tropical series of Latin American films. The intense Peruvian feature Days of Santiago intimately portrays the jagged state of mind of Santiago, a war veteran who has lost the ability to adjust to civilian life. Deftly avoiding cliche, first-time director Mendez has created an unforgettable, fully realized psychological character in Santiago--an effort greatly aided by actor Pietro Sibille's "volcanic performance" (Variety). (83 mins.)