For those who have lived through this somber chapter of Argentine history, i.e. the cruel, repressive dictatorship who perpetrated State terrorism against civilian citizens in the late 70s and early 80s, watching this movie might be an extremely painful, vivid and heartbreaking exercise of political memory. For those who have not, it will be an equally sad, vivid and heartbreaking exercise on LatinAmerican recent history, from the narrative standpoint of a high-school girl engaged in political activism.
At the cinemas, people sob and weep in their seats as the film comes to an end, and as they leave the halls they don't care to hide their tears, shed for the bitter, sad memories but also for the fearful perspectives about human rights which, 40 years later, now seem to loom again on their country's horizon, with the supression or persecution of dissident voices, and the illegal intrusion of armed forces in high-schools and universities. The spontaneous remarks in this regard voiced by viewers as they leave the theatres may surprise the tourist spectator, but they also highlight the deep impact the film has on local public.
Both directors have made a great job at portraying a realistic and truthful story, in an effective, rich middle ground between documentary and introspective fiction. Hard to watch, but beautiful and well performed. If you have the chance to watch it, don't miss it.
