Retablo (2018)

The film Retablo revolves around the accidental discovery by Segundo, a fourteen-year-old adolescent, of his father's homosexual activity. This revelation destroys the image the son had of his progenitor and the family legacy they both shared through the art of Ayacucho retablos. The story presents paternal homosexuality as a fait accompli that the young man must integrate in silence within a traditional and conservative environment. The possibility of confrontation or moral resolution is not explored; instead, the necessity of coexisting with the secret without openly questioning it is emphasized. This narrative structure introduces the implicit acceptance of the father's sexual conduct as an inevitable part of family life. The conflict is resolved through omission and silence, which conveys to the viewer the idea that certain realities must be normalized without debate. Although the cultural setting and the artisanal work are well achieved, the dramatic core prioritizes the normalization of homosexuality over any other ethical or relational consideration.