During the 70s, many Argentinean films were devoted to the exploration of female trauma and frustration. We may cite the examples of _La Mary_ (Daniel Tinayre, 1974), _Boquitas pintadas_ (Leopoldo Torre Nilsson, 1974), and Raúl de la Torre's films, most of which starred Graciela Borges (_Crónica de una señora_, 1971; _Heroína_, 1972). The lesser-known _Una mujer_ is another paradigm of this tendency.
As the film begins, Matilde (Cipe Lincovsky, in one of her most affecting roles) returns home. The viewer does not know from where she is returning, but the details will surface little by little as the film unfolds. At first, the pace is deliberately slow. It seems that all we are being shown are trivial domestic scenes. Matilde will then begin to open up, and some of her secrets will be revealed as she interacts with her husband (Federico Luppi, showing his macho facet the way he does in _Crónica de una señora_), her mother, her sisters, etc. The film's tagline was, "There are questions she can only answer to herself." This is a direct reference to the last scene in the movie, which some may find disappointing, but I consider to be flawless.
_Una mujer_ features a "quiet" screenplay by the great Aída Bortnik (_La tregua_, _Crecer de golpe_, _La historia oficial_, _Caballos salvajes_), written in collaboration with the famous novelist Osvaldo Soriano. The directorial and editorial work is also worthy of mention. The film makes ample use of montage, in a successful manner. Juan José Stagnaro, the film's director, was director of photography for Leonardo Favio, most notably in _Este es el romance..._ (1966) and in the beautiful, heartbreaking _Nazareno Cruz y el lobo_ (1975). By pure chance I watched _Nazareno Cruz_ and _Una mujer_ back to back, without knowing that Stagnaro was involved in both of them. I was sad to find out that same night that Stagnaro passed away last week.
_Una mujer_ is a memorable character study, and deserves a much higher rating than it has (5.8 as I write this). One of the hidden treasures of 70s Argentinean cinema.
