Santa Esperansa

Santa Esperansa Original Russian Poster Country USSR Directed by Sebastián Alarcón Release Date 1980 Language Russian Studio Mosfilm Main Cast Character Actor Nepomuceno Borislav Brondukov Don Lorenzo Pavel Kadochnikov Miguel Angel Evgeniy Leonov-Gladyshev Carlos Vladimir Lomizov Felisindo Laimonas Noreika Pablo Kanepi Vladimir Tikhonov Izabel Margarita Terekhova Padre Ramaz Chkhikvadze The commandant Grigoriy Lyampe

Santa Esperansa is a 1980 Soviet drama film directed by Sebastián Alarcón. The film, set in Pinochet's Chile, depicts the story of a group of political prisoners in a concentration camp in the abandoned desert settlement of Santa Esperansa (this name would be correctly spelled in Spanish Santa Esperanza, meaning "Saint Hope").

The following weapons were used in the film Santa Esperansa:

Pistols

M1911A1

M1911A1 pistols are service sidearms of the Chilean officers and NCOs. They are mostly carried in US Army M1916 holsters. Carlos (Vladimir Lomizov) disarms the Captain (Aleksandr Pashutin) in an attempt of the prison break and holds his pistol.

Pre-War Colt M1911A1 - Commercial Model known as the "Colt Government Model" - .45 ACP. This has a deep Colt factory blued finish, common for commercial variants before and after the war.

The Captain (at the left) carries his pistol in M1916 holster.

The Sergeant (Islam Kaziyev) carries a holstered pistol. The holster seems to be a revolver pattern but Sergeant's gun is a pistol (see below).

Carlos disarms the Captain.

Carlos takes the Captain and the commandant (Grigoriy Lyampe) as hostages.

The pistol in hands of Carlos.

The commandant carries a pistol in M1916 holster.

An officer, gunned down by Felisindo in the final scene, holds an M1911 pistol.

The Sergeant holds a pistol that also seems to be an M1911.

Browning Hi-Power

In the final scene Padre (Ramaz Chkhikvadze) and one of the officers are armed with Browning Hi-Power pistols.

Browning Hi-Power "Type 73" - 9x19mm

Padre holds his pistol. Judging by the hammer spur, this is a Hi-Power "Type 73".

Another view of Padre's pistol.

An officer with a pistol.

Submachine Guns

Thompson M1928A1

Chilean soldiers on guard of the Santa Esperansa are armed with Thompson M1928A1 submachine guns. Many of the Thompsons are fitted with magazines of MP40.

M1928A1 Thompson with 30-round magazine - .45ACP

M1928A1 Thompson converted to use MP40 magazines with 7.62x25mm blank cartridges

A soldier carries a Thompson.

When the soldiers surrender their weapons, most guns in the pile are Thompsons.

The soldiers leave their guns while playing soccer. Note that the Thompson at the right is fitted with an MP40 magazine.

A Thompson with an MP40 magazine is seen at the foreground.

A soldier carries a Thompson, fitted with an MP40 magazine.

A soldier at the right carries a Thompson.

A soldier with a Thompson in the final scene.

Three soldiers at the background hold Thompsons.

Rifles and Assault Rifles

Sturmgewehr 44 (visually modified as AR-10/AR-15)

Chilean soldiers on guard of the Santa Esperansa are mostly armed with Sturmgewehr 44 assault rifles, visually modified to resemble AR-10 or early versions of AR-15. In the final scene the rioting prisoners, notably Felisindo (Laimonas Noreika) and Pablo Kanepi (Vladimir Tikhonov), use these rifles, captured from the guards. The real weapon of the Chilean military at that time was a SIG SG 510-4.

Sturmgewehr 44, modified to resemble early AR-15 - 7.62x39 blank

A soldier with a visually modified StG 44.

A close-up of a visually modified StG 44.

Carlos (Vladimir Lomizov) with the Captain's M1911A1 and the soldier's StG 44.

The soldiers leave their guns while playing soccer.

Soldiers with visually modified StG 44 rifles.

A soldier convoys Miguel Angel.

Felisindo fires a captured StG 44.

Pablo holds an StG 44.

An NCO and a soldier with StG 44 rifles in the final scene.

SVT-40

Several SVT-40 rifles can be seen in a pile of guns, surrendered by the guards during Carlos' riot. They may be used as a stand-in for M1 Garand or M14 rifles.

Tokarev SVT-40 - 7.62x54mmR

Several SVT-40 rifles are seen in the pile of guns.

M1 Carbine

Several M1 Carbines are also seen in the same scene.

World War II Era M1 Carbine, with Dark Walnut Stock, 'L' peep sight and no bayonet lug - .30 Carbine

At least three M1 Carbines are seen in the pile of guns.

An M1 Carbine is seen in hands of a soldier at the right in the final scene.

Machine Guns

PK (visually modified as MG34)

PK machine guns, visually modified to resemble MG34, are used by the guards. The real machine guns of Chilean military of that time were MG3 and M60.

MG34 (top) and PK modified to resemble an MG34 (bottom).

A soldier in the jeep holds a visually modified PK.

The machine gun on the guard tower.

In the final scene a soldier fires a machine gun, mounted on a BTR-40 APC.

Other Weapons

Hand Grenade

In the final scene a soldier throws a "pineapple" hand grenade. It is seen only in distance.

A soldier prepares to throw a grenade.

Trivia

The guards use two BTR-40 APCs. They may be used as a stand-in for M3 Scout Cars that were still in use in Latin American countries in 1970s.