El faro de las orcas

I'm always on the lookout for those smaller budget movies that have characters worth caring about, beautiful cinematography, haunting music and a story that matters. This movie ticks all those boxes.

Everything about it was authentic and genuine. The music score blended in so well with the isolated and stunning landscape.

Highly recommended for people who like similar.

The Lighthouse of the Orcas (Spanish: El faro de las orcas) is a 2016 Argentinean/Spanish drama film well directed by Gerardo Olivares , being released on December 16, 2016. Beto Bubas (Joaquín Furriel) is a loner man who works as a watcher on an isolated location in Peninsula Valdes . Then , there takes place the arrival of Lola , a Spanish mother (Maribel Verdú) with an autistic child , Tristán (Joaquín Rapalini) , both of whom go away from Madrid , Spain , to Argentina and finding outstanding surprises . They go to a marvelous place to dream and looking for Beto after both watch him in a documentary about whales or Orcas . Desperate, Lola asks for help Beto in order to make a therapy for her 11 years old son Tristán , hoping that his isolation caused by the autism can be overcome . Reluctant at the beginning , Beto agrees to help Tristán . As days go by, in the same way that Beto's chief attempts to fire him in the belief that Orcas are perilous killers whales , Lola realizes about a family trouble in Spain and them Lola and Beto fall in love .

Sensitive and enjoyable story with ecological message , brief description about Argentinean social habits , including local dancings , and an attractive love story in which a couple learns about the feelings between them. The plot is plain and simple : In trying to help her son find an emotional connection, a mother travels with her autistic son to Patagonia to meet a ranger and wild orcas . Here stars a disturbing mother for her autist son who early though slowly begins to express emotions, and a lonely rebel ranger who attempts to heal him , while defying the rules that prevent touching Orcas and swimming them . As filmmaker camerawork shoots gorgeous sea landscapes , and blue Ocean , in fact director Olivares has been travelling to places like North Cape in Norway or the Artic Circle and this Peninsula Valdes' National Park (Chubut, Argentina) . Being based on a true story about Roberto "Beto" Bubas , a ranger in Chubut, Patagonia Argentina , it is well shown in the final scenes , in documentary style , including the Killing Whales or Orcas , the only ones that cause emotional responses in the little boy . Maribel Verdú gives a decent acting , as usual , as a mummy looking to help her son to connect with his emotions . Joaquin Furriel is acceptable as a watcher who spends his days watching orcas , seals and sea lions in the sea , and helping Lola'son to connect , live and feeling by sailing along the coast on a boat to meet orcas . They are nice accompanied by a good support cast as Ana Celentano as Marcela , Ciro Miró as Manolo and the prodigy child Joaquín Rapalini or Quinchu Rapalini as Tristán

It packs a colorful and charming cinematography by Oscar Durán , shot on location in Peninsula Valdés . As well as a rousing and touching musical score by Pascal Gaigne . The motion picture was professionally directed by Gerardo Olivares . This film was nominated in Cinema Writers Circle Awards, Spain 2017 , Nominee CEC Award Best Actress : Maribel Verdú and Best Adapted Screenplay : Gerardo Olivares , Lucía Puenzo , Sallua Sehk . Gerardo has collaborated with some channels like TVE -Spanish Television-, Discovery Channel and National Geographic . Since 2006, Gerardo Olivares changes the documentaries for fiction movies and he will be known for La Gran Final (2006), 14 Kilómetros (2007) , Entrelobos (2010) and 4 Latas (2018) with Jean Reno . In his life, Gerardo Olivares has been in more than 100 countries and filmed over than 80 documentaries. All this has been collected in his documentaries, sold all over the world for the most important television channels. The movie will appeal to lovers of the nature and animals . Rating : 6.5/10 . Better than average Well worth seeing . Essential and indispensable watching for Nature lovers and sea animals enthusiasts .

Excellent. from any aspect... story, environment, nature, acting, cinematography, directing, editing, soundtrack, ... sensitive to nuances, does not overload the viewer with extra gestures or explanations, sincere, ... simply - good movie, and a rare one in it.

The Lighthouse of the Orcas (2016) is a beautifully done movie that treats the subjects of autism and man's relationship to orcas with a deft touch.

Having flown into Argentina several times, piloting,I found this an entirely new experience in geography, landscape. Never thought I'd see such difference from the pampas, in the beauty of Patagonia, and especially the ORCAS. Most of all the character developments, sensitivity so true to these great writer's composition. Something within it expresses happenings in most all of us, I think. Hal Bingaman

I did not dig for detail to decide to watch this film. Just by reading the title I have come to know I should see this. But later I learnt that it was from the director of 'Brothers of the Wind' I review a year ago. They say it was the third film in the 'man and wild animal relationship' trilogy, but I've seen only this and the one I mentioned in the previous line. The other one, the first one is 'Among Wolves' that's surely I going to check it out as soon as possible.

The story revolves around a park ranger, Beto, from the remote place in the south of the Argentina. He has a special relationship with the Orcas that strays on the edge of the coast nearby a lighthouse. People come to pay to see them, but on one occasion a mother and her autistic son from Spain visit him. Initially he refused to help her, but later he changes his mind with a purpose in his mind. So the days go on and what follows after that are some unexpected development which leads to the film's conclusion.

Adapted to the screen from the novel by Roberto 'Beto' Bubas that he inspired to write by his real life event. Though initially I mean in the very first scene I thought it was so cruel. Not anybody wants to see that kind of opening. Especially not the kids or the families. If you are an animal lover, you would feel like that way as well. But very soon you will come to understand it is the way of nature and we're just a witness. Just like you watch Nat Geo and Animal Planet. Apart from that hurtful fact, the film was really good.

❝They (orcas) are my family in the sea. And I'm their friend on the coast.❞

The characters were awesome. It was a limited cast, that's because most of the film takes place in the isolated location with three main characters. Very slow narration, particularly you won't get much progression in the first half. Kind of feels like a documentary film, that focused on a national park ranger's life. But in the last half an hour everything changes. An unpredictable event comes into play to steer the narration swiftly towards the tale's climax.

At some point I thought it was another film in the 'Free Willy' series. If you had seen that trilogy + one (tetralogy) and when you see this, you would think only that way. Not just because of the man and orca relationship, but the way they presented on the screen was like directly borrowed from there. But most importantly, it was based on the real which surely erase that kind of thinking from the viewers.

It was just like any other film that portrays an autistic character. But at the beginning, it did not pay any attention to that role. The perspective of the tale was from the Beto, so he led to shaping the entire narrative, until the last moment. That's when the boy took over to bring most required reorder in the story you had seen so far to something new. They all well acted, with the beautiful locations in the front and the background. It was not a masterpiece, but definitely it is among its kind.

The direction must be praised. I really like him. He is like a travel filmmaker. Yesterday he made a European film, today a South American and tomorrow it could be an African or Asian. What I most impressed was, his films are not aimed at commercial benefits. But very artistic, and mostly factual like a documentary film with a light stroke of fantasy to add a better storyline to attract little folks. His target audience are children and the families, and obviously the animal lovers. So if you know him, his works, then you must not miss this flick. One of the satisfying films, despite not a flawless film.

7/10