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And so our cinematic voyage around the globe reaches its conclusion. So far we’ve covered 38 films from 19 different countries. To finish off, this week we have chosen to shine a light on Argentina. Although, in terms of films, this nation has never found its place in the spotlight of public awareness, their output does include two Academy Award winners and the first feature-length animated movie (which has since been lost). To showcase the range of Argentina’s cinema we will be highlighting two releases from the last decade: The Motorcycle Diaries and The Headless Woman.
Director: Walter Salles
Che Guevara, one of the most iconic figures of the twentieth century, has been somewhat demoted since his death - from Marxist revolutionary to T-shirt poster boy. Yet the tale of the man behind the image is fascinating and this wonderful film by Walter Salles provides a truly magnificent look at his early life.
Set during Guevara’s epic road trip, the film is really about two friends embarking on a life-changing journey across South America. Exploring the world for the first time the young Che (Gael Garcia Bernal) begins his transformation into revolutionary icon as he sees the poor and underprivileged of the world and yearns to aid them. Yet this is all handled with considerable humour as they struggle with their dying motorbike and various other complications. The musical score is superb; it perfectly complements the action, and even garnered an Academy Award winning song. The film’s single greatest achievement is its outstanding cinematography, capturing the wonders of a continent in superb clarity and beauty, ranging from simple villages to the vast awe-inspiring ruins of Machu Picchu.
Told with humour and grace, The Motorcycle Diaries is a tale that, although focussed around a future Marxist icon, never becomes too political. It tackles areas such as inequality rather than revolution, thereby creating a very accessible film. It is a wonderful coming of age tale about the joys of youth and adventure set amidst some of the most spectacular scenery on the planet.
Director: Lucrecia Martel
Some directors happily sail under the radar until one feature film eventually launches them into international renown. For writer-director Lucrecia Martel, with three feature films already under her belt, the time for this platform is likely to emerge in the next year or so. With the release of her third film, The Headless Woman, Martel secured her second nomination at Cannes for the Palme d'Or as well as scooping three awards (out of 11 nominations) at the Argentinean Academy Film Awards, including Best Film and Director.
The Headless Woman takes the lead from psychological thrillers such as Mulholland Drive where the central protagonist is involved in something ghastly which neither the audience nor the central protagonist ever become truly privy too. Did Verónica actually hit a person with her car during her drive through the countryside? Or was it in fact just an Alsatian that had gotten loose? If so what has she done in her life to make her so sure that she has committed accidental murder?
Whilst it’s true that Martel’s screenwriting and direction are fantastic, the success of the whole film is hinged on the fantastic performance by María Onetto that elevates this film from “good” to a much bypassed gem. When Martel starts to get the international recognition she deserves - an inevitability really - The Headless Woman (as well as her second feature The Holy Girl) will form part of an indispensable back-catalogue.
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