When Schlomo is arrested, had he really become a political dissident? Or was he merely assumed to be one because he was consorting with political dissidents in an attempt to find Mauro's parents? I was confused on that point.
shareI believe that it was the latter — that he provoked the suspicions of the police by associating with the dissidents while trying to find Mauro's parents.
Shlomo was apolitical in the movie. I did not see him make any political comments, about the dictatorship or anything else. He was a quiet, grumpy man who was devoted to his religion.
And there lies one of the points of the movie, in my opinion. The military dictatorship was basically invisible through all but the last part of the film. There was the quick scene at the beginning with the military truck, but even then little was visible. Through most of the film, the dictatorship was in the background. It was just "there." One knew that it was there, but one just didn't see it, or, more precisely, look for it.
People like Shlomo just lived their lives and ignored it — until it actually affected them. Only then would they do something.
That's not a criticism of people like Shlomo. To the contrary, it's perfectly understandable. But it was the reality.
Schlomo was not arrested. He just made a testimony, as police officer required. It is not clear it he was tortured someday, physically of psycologically. But that was the focus of the movie. The had some contact with people related to political dissidents, specifically Italo, but it made him only suspect of political dissidence.
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