A História Oficial

La Historia Oficial is an excellent movie. It is also the testimony of the suffering of the Argentinian people during the military dictatorship. But those who are not from Argentina, like myself, can very well be touched by this movie. I was observing the cruelty of the government and thought "my God, totalitarism is always the same, and no matter if the violation of human rights occurs in Argentina under the military regime, in Cuba under the Castro dictatorship, in Chile under Pinochet, in Europe during Hitler, people suffer the same and the least we can do is to feel compassion". A good lesson from this movie, generation after generation we shouldn't forget the victims. They deserve justice.

I cry each time I watch this film. (The scene with Norma Aleandro and the baby clothes) Always gets me. An American film-maker would have made a film about one of the "desaparecidos" (disappeared ones) - but Puenzo is too sharp for that - by making a film about one of the quietly complicit, he has indicted all of us who are aware that things aren't quite right in the world, but choose to ignore the fact...and do nothing. Devastating, political and yet personal. My all-time favorite film.

La Historia Official is a well-made film about awakening from passive complicity in evil, in this case, forced adoption. The Grandmothers of the Plaza de Mayo were and are an inspiration to those who struggle to uncover and resist abuses in adoption practices, be they the enslaved Irish women of the Magdalen laundries or the many indigenous peoples who had children forcibly removed from homes to be adopted by whites. Most of adoption does not involve abduction, but to turn a blind eye to the fact that it does exist, is to be passively complicit, as was the protagonist in this film.

The scene in which the teacher realizes that tremendous evil has indeed been perpetrated, and that she may very well be the beneficiary of such evil, is staggering. Norma Aleandro is a talented enough actress that we believe her initial rejection of this revelation, and her gradual evolution from passive cohort to courageous seeker of the truth.

Its hard to convey just how moving this movie is. Its absolutely haunting, I thought about this flick for days afterwards. I don't think it represents the experiences of many Argentines during the era of the juntas, but it clearly shows how awful those times were and why Argentines never want to return to that situation again.

This Piece was powerful and thought provoking. It was also perhaps the most depressing film I have ever seen in my life. The tragic story leaves the viewer with a somewhat empty feeling, which is appropriate. The sad fact is that thousands of families in Argentina fell the emptiness that this film induces every single day of their lives. Hector Alterio spectacularly portrays the jaded and evil Roberto, who works with the corrupt ruling military junta. One truly grasps a sense of the insecurities and weakness behind such bullies.

This movie is a wakeup call for anyone who believes that apathy is okay. The truth is that the tragedies in Argentina in the 1970's were partly allowed to occur because of the ignorance and apathy of both people within Argentina and in the outside world. Hopefully, by watching this film, people will resolve to prevent such a tragedy from ever happening again.

La Hitoria Oficial is a spectacular film to learn about a subject which receives little or no attention in the US. However, be warned: it is one of the most tragic films you may ever see in your life. You will leave the film both saddened and angered that nothing was done to prevent these horrible crimes.