For the paseros (small-time smugglers), this logic was intoxicating. They reasoned that 300,000 hungry, thirsty, and tired pilgrims would need to eat, drink, and—most critically—relieve themselves. Unlike the grand cathedrals of Rome, the Uruguayan countryside had no public restrooms.
Awarded Best Feature Film by the International Jury. El Bano del Papa
Beto and his neighbors stand in stunned silence as the Pope’s helicopter rises into the sky, carrying away the only customer who could have made their investment worthwhile. The film ends with Beto staring at his beautiful, useless tile bathroom. He doesn't cry. He just looks at his wife and says, "What do we do now?" For the paseros (small-time smugglers), this logic was
The film employs natural lighting and non-professional actors, grounding the story in a reality that feels almost tactile. You can almost smell the damp earth of the countryside and feel the chill of the winter wind. The cinematography refuses to romanticize poverty; the mud is thick and hindering, the houses are ramshackle, and the struggle is visceral. Awarded Best Feature Film by the International Jury
During the real 1988 mass, an estimated 40,000 people showed up (not 300,000). Most did not pay to use the hastily built latrines. Many families went bankrupt for a decade following the event. Today, thanks to the film, a hotel has been built, and a "Pope’s Bathroom" route exists. The movie failed to save the characters, but it saved the location.