The Hands of Che Guevara

De Handen van Che Guevara / The Netherlands 2006 / 59min. Spanish with English subtitles.
Director Peter De Kock / Producer Frank van den Engel

Photographer Rene Cadima

For 40 years, he has been an unlikely sex symbol and poster boy of heroism and revolutionary chic. But behind the myth of Che Guevara lie darker mysteries.

In 1977, Che’s remains minus his hands were found buried under a Bolivian air-strip. First-time director Peter De Kock’s film is like a murder mystery full of creepy intrigue and riveting interviews as he leads us to a group of people prepared to risk their lives for two dead hands. The courage and commitment of these people form the backbone of this wonderfully shot moody piece. Through their testimonies and anecdotes, a tale unfolds so bizarre and secret that it has been banished to the shadows of history. Each story is coloured, romanticised and embellished, emphasizing the intrepidity of the first person. Told with drama and intertwined with themes of trust and betrayal, truth and reality, tricks and deceit, this handful of small, subjective stories fit together revealing a larger, more ‘objective’ historical account.

The film befits the intrigue and absurdity of Che’s legacy – an icon of social revolutionary movements and martyrdom and a key pop culture icon appearing on hats, T-shirts and other consumer paraphernalia.

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