AllMovie

Documentary filmmaker Heddy Honigmann looks beyond the state violence, economic crises, and political corruption so predominant in Lima, Peru, to better acquaint viewers with the people of her troubled hometown. A celebration of a forgotten city, El Olvido presents Lima as a place where the working class endures despite oppression by the upper classes. Here, the people employed at the city's finest restaurants and hotels return to squalid homes on the hillside when the workday is over. But while they may lack political power, their unbreakable spirit gives them the strength to greet each new day with a sense of optimism and hope.