Daniel Muñoz on "Mil Pedazos" and why it was "an offer that could not be refused"

Actor Daniel Muñoz described the new film "Mil Pedazos" as "an offer that could not be refused," highlighting the project's compelling acting challenges and inherent mystery. Inspired loosely by the story of the "Hermit of Las Chilcas," the film allowed Muñoz to delve into a character he found both concrete and complex.

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It was an offer that could not be refused. It was interesting, it had a lot of mystery.

"Acting challenges keep one alive; it's like going to the gym, it keeps you in shape," Muñoz told Cooperativa. He was drawn to the role of "Miguel," a character who lives in "the solitude of the immensity of his interior... who decides to go inward, but living outwardly." This paradox, he explained, made the role particularly attractive.

The film, shot entirely in Chile's Elqui Valley, follows "Miguel," his wife "Isabel" (Paola Giannini), and their daughter "Emilia" (Emilia Rodríguez). Their family vacation takes a drastic turn after an accident in the desert. Muñoz also praised the close-knit "family" atmosphere on set, noting that the small crew size fostered a sense of shared experience amidst the vast, inspiring landscape.

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Acting challenges keep one alive; it's like going to the gym, it keeps you in shape.

Director Sergio Castro-San Martín, whose credits include "La Jauría," felt compelled to bring the legend of the enigmatic hermit Juanito, "this man of the mountains isolated from the system," to the screen. The "impulse" to create the film came during the pandemic, coinciding with a migration towards rural areas. Castro-San Martín aimed to create a film deeply connected to nature and a territory outside the capital.

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The landscape was very inspiring, so it made us build things in the moment.

Muñoz also pointed out that "Mil Pedazos" exemplifies the potential for decentralizing film production, moving beyond the capital to other regions. "Working with a provincial team, this team gave me the feeling that it is possible to extend the national industry to the provinces," he stated.

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Working with a provincial team, this team gave me the feeling that it is possible to extend the national industry to the provinces.