Season 3, Episode 9 - Un Varon “A Male” (Colombia)

For this episode, the Festive Fans start the show feeling a little down.  Our current political landscape in the States has Bob upset with so many in the country living in a constant state of anger.  Then we travel to Colombia, a country with a notorious reputation from a vicious drug trade.  The 1980s and 1990s saw the rise of the infamous drug cartels, whose illicit activities have shaped perceptions of the nation worldwide for years. We also watch a film about a young man living in a homeless shelter in Bogotá at the holidays who cannot escape the violence of the streets around him.  It all seems so depressing … and yet, it’s comforting. 

This may be our most Christmas-y show of all. In the midst of all the sadness, adversity and conflict, a familiar light is still there.  Focusing solely on Colombia’s negative past ignores its incredible transformation over the past three decades and its efforts to promote peace and stability. Today, Colombia is a symbol of recovery. It still has serious issues as we witness in Un Varon … and yet, it’s inspiring.  

As the film portrays the poverty-stricken streets of Bogota, it reminds us of the pages of Dickens.  As we watch the efforts of Carlos with his androgynous features, skinny body and high voice, face the day-to-day business of survival, he is neither strong nor threatening.  We witness how much Carlos is hurting inside, and his sensitivity restores hope. Christmas looms and provides his only opportunity for happiness to spend the holiday with his sister and his incarcerated mother.  It occupies his thoughts. The specter of the joyful holiday is a reminder of what eludes Carlos and the other homeless teens around him.  It may seem cruel at first … and yet, it’s compassionate.

The Christmas season offers a rare sense of peace. Just at a time when the world feels so angry and fragmented, we realize how the extraordinary power of Christmas reminds us of our shared humanity. It’s one of the few times of year when people from different backgrounds, beliefs, and opinions will share a collective sense of goodwill.  It distracts us from the harshness of the world.  As we see with Carlos, Christmas provides a connection and belonging and a focus on what truly matters. The emphasis on togetherness allows the season to heal the wounds caused by alienation. It may seem temporary … and yet, it endures.

Christmas encourages us to imagine a better world. It invites us to reflect on the possibilities ahead. Compassion defines who we are and encourages forgiveness of others and of ourselves. The modern world may be defined by division, but Christmas offers us a real chance for union. It provides us a moment to reflect and to remember what unites us.  In a time when hardship, poverty and anger may feel endless, Christmas reminds us that warmth and joy will return.  In the end, the Fans realize that we must allow the spirit of Christmas to lift our hearts.  It is the only way to rediscover the best parts of ourselves that we often let stay hidden underneath the surface.

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