Plague (La Peste)

Country of origin and year: Argentina, France, United Kingdom, 1992 Genre: Drama Director: Luis Puenzo Screenplay: Luis Puenzo, Robert Katz, Eric Altmeyer, Norman Di Giovanni, Susan Ashe, Albert Camus Description: The film *The Plague* is an adaptation of Albert Camus’s novel of the same title. From the very beginning, the viewer can anticipate what is about to unfold: a depiction of a severe illness that leads to an epidemic. The story takes place in the fictional city of Oran, where a single dead rat marks the beginning of the deaths of an ever-increasing number of people. The city is locked down; panic and fear set in; residents who have not yet fallen ill are afraid to go out onto the streets and lock themselves in their homes for fear of infection. Among the population, however, there are brave individuals who, for the greater good, are able to overcome their fear and help the suffering even in the face of danger to their own lives. Two elements in the film are worth noting—first and foremost, the symptoms of the disease, which are well depicted (fever, chest pain, cough, headaches, very characteristic skin lesions, and many others), as well as the social consequences of the epidemic. I recommend the film especially for gaining a more accurate understanding of a disease that does not occur in our geographical region.