The year is 1901 in the Chilean Tierra del Fuego. On behalf of the Spanish landowner José Menéndez, a trio consisting of a British lieutenant, an American cowboy and a sheep herder of Native American descent are sent out to kill and drive the indigenous population from the site. With its evocative soundtrack, unforgettable photography and at the same time unvarnished depiction of the violence of the colonizers, The Settlers has since its premiere in Cannes become one of the year’s most noted debuts. Director Felipe Gálvez Haberle has created a brutal reckoning with Chile’s colonial past and a welcome contribution to the western genre.

– Daniel Tollefsen Altamirano