Infancia clandestina

I stumbled across this during quarantine and I'm really glad I did. It was not what I expected, but often times thats a good thing and this film was no exception. If you can get by the political aspects of the film, something I try to do, and just watch it for the story and archs of the characters, it is quite powerful. If you choose to research the political aspects of the film, I encourage you to do so. I'm not going to single out any performances as they were good-not great- however they were more than enough to fuel this magnificent script. I'll mark the production value with the same mark as the cast, but again, more than enough there to carry you on this journey. You will cry, you will cheer, the absence of either would make me question your humanity. Give it a go!

It's 1979, Argentina. 12 year old Juan and his family returns after their exile in Cuba. They are guerrillas hunted by the military junta. Juan hides his true identity to everyone including his friends at school where they know him as Ernesto.

It's an Argentinian film with the potential of compelling characters. For a film of paranoia, we need to feel it much more. The filmmaking style is slow paced. It needs a lot more energy, and I'm not advocating some big action scene. There's got to be more intensity in this story.

The kids do good work. I like their characters. Their scenes have the intensity I'm talking about. I actually think the adults don't contribute as much. This feels like a lesser 'Running on Empty'. I do like the animation to break up some of the violence. It works well as from a child's point of view. Overall it tells an interesting story.

A film on Argentine military dictatorship and dirty war of fascists against Montonero guerrilla is always welcome, as it is a quite important even in the history of Latin America and in the dire days of reactionary oppession against democracy and human rights. Making a film on a military dictatorship focusing the life of a child is also a script decision that often works very well, as I may mention Brazilian "O ano em que meus pais saíram de férias" ("The Year My Parents Went on Vacation"), Argentine "Kamchatka", and Nicaraguan "Princesas rojas" ("Red Princesses"). This Argentine film is not bad and it is visually appealing: cinematography, art direction, the usage of drawn animation... However (and unfortunately), it is too tepid, excessively long and sluggish, and lacks a tighter script. Spectator never gets involved, the movie simply does not make specttor feels or velieves in what is portrayed on the screen.

This was the Argentina's submission for last year's American Academy Awards and failed to make into the final five. But it was a clean sweep in Argentinian Academy Awards in the same year. Forget that past sad occurrence, I mean the Oscars, this movie was great and I liked it very much. After a very long gap I saw an Argentinian movie reckoning to be a good and it was. I am satisfied and glad I saw it which was loosely based on the director's real life story when he was a child.

This story was told from the perspective of a kid called Juan. His parents are the activists during the Cold War known as the Dirty War. After their return to the home country with different names, Juan joins the school known as Ernesto. He finds hard to understand his parents' behaviour, but comfortably settles with his new fake name with a little help from his uncle. The problem arises when his true identity matters the most. Whether he reveals or not is the crux of the movie's end.

In my recent watch I had seen the people who struggle while protesting in a country's revolution. It might be based on real like 'NO' or fictional like 'Night Train to Lisbon', but majority of them end in heartbreak tragedy. Similarly, this movie opened its account in a simple manner like most of the drama that based on the revolution theme. Yes, of course it confuses at first about what's going on then slowly explain the situation. But all the difference and racy pace emerge suddenly in the last quarter of the movie. Till then I was in the movie trying to concentrate, but then instantly put me on the edge of my seat with cute romance and followed by thriller. That, the end portion of the story of last 10-15 minutes took the movie to the heights.

Yes, like I said the movie kicks off with a slow and boring pace with nothing much to enjoy earlier and ends in a style. Some movies are largely depends on the story's end solution and so this. To me it looked fine movie, different people will have different opinions, so watch it by yourself and express yours.

The movie is an emotional journey that takes its spectators to Argentina's military dictatorship of 1970's. Juan is a boy who struggles with his double identity he obtained for security purposes, as his parents are involved in combat against the regime. Ávila's script collaboration with Müller brings an amazing story that balances between fear of being discovered by military and love in the family, and consequently love of Juan and his classmate María.

Altogether with the script, the movie has absolutely engaging music, art direction and cinematography. Ávila's way of filming brings attention to every single detail and delivers unified piece of cinematographic art.

Actor Teo Gutiérrez Moreno is absolutely superb in his performance of the young boy and his life's struggle. Actress Natalia Oreiro delivers thrilling performance of revolutionary fighter and proves that she can portray a character that is as gentle as a mother to her son, as well as someone determined to fight the military regime. Moreover, actor Ernesto Alterio brings moments of humor into the story as his well-written character of uncle Beto.

The story is based on true events and the love the director dedicated to this movie can be felt in every single second. This outstanding movie will touch not only those familiar with Argentine regime of 70's, yet it will find its way to hearts of many cinema lovers too.