The Hunt for Neruda

In 1948, Chilean President Gabriel González Videla, who came to power with the support of the Chilean Communist Party, was at odds with the Communists who co-ruled. He then declared the Communist Party illegal and launched large-scale arrests and persecutions. The poet and senator Pablo Neruda publicly wrote articles satirizing President González Videla and put himself in danger. He had to seek refuge in the country, and finally succeeded in escaping to Mexico in 1949. Pablo Larraín's unique biopic focuses on this period of history, deftly blending fact with fiction. In the film, Neruda is pursued by a police detective named Oscar Perucciono, who vows to capture the poet. His narration is used throughout the film in the form of voice-over.