The Penal Colony
The Penal Colony
1970, Spanish. Directed by Raúl Ruiz.
A foreign journalist arrives on a small Pacific island 200 miles off the coast of South America. Once a leper colony, the island was later transformed into a prison and then, under U.N. mandate, made into an independent republic. Yet despite democratic structures, the inhabitants--who speak a strange dialect composed of Spanish and English--still obey the old prison rules. After sending back detailed accounts of the torture and repression seen everywhere, the journalist realizes that she has fallen into the trap created for her by the islanders: lacking natural resources, the island's main export is news.
- Runtime
- 1h 7m
- Post-credits
- None listed
- Language
- Spanish
- Rated
- Check local
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Where to watch The Penal Colony
The Penal Colony isn’t streaming on any OTT platform in India yet; it released on 1 January 1970.
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Cast & crew
Details
- Released
- 1 January 1970
- Original title
- La colonia penal
- Country
- Chile
- Written by
- Franz Kafka, Raúl Ruiz
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News & fan talk
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The Penal Colony: quick answers
Is The Penal Colony worth watching?
The Penal Colony doesn’t have enough ratings for a verdict yet.
How long is The Penal Colony?
The Penal Colony runs 67 minutes (1h 7m).
Does The Penal Colony have a post-credits scene?
None is listed for The Penal Colony. Viewers tag these on TMDB, so a brand-new film may not be tagged yet.
The Penal Colony parents guide: is it suitable for kids?
No age rating is listed for The Penal Colony yet.
Which OTT platform is The Penal Colony on?
The Penal Colony isn’t streaming on any OTT platform in India yet; it released on 1 January 1970. (Checked 12 November 2026.)
What movies are like The Penal Colony?
If you liked The Penal Colony, try Hotel Coppelia, The Young One, All Day and a Night.
Who directed The Penal Colony?
The Penal Colony (1970) was directed by Raúl Ruiz and stars Mónica Echeverría, Luis Alarcón, Aníbal Reyna.