Buenos Aires 1977

The main advantage of Caetano's film is not originality or the use of magical realism elements, which are so popular in Latin America. His film is also very distinct from the style of European art cinema, such as the French New Wave, which is often copied with varying success on the South American continent today. Finally, it is not a commercially appealing film, even though it deals with the phenomenon of violence and undoubtedly has commercial potential. The terror of the secret police and the humiliation of powerless prisoners, however, are portrayed in a way that resembles the methods of Michael Haneke - violence is not aestheticized or glamorized. The main advantage of the film is its maximum authenticity, a believable story that is actually a semi-documentary depiction of the real fate of a group of abducted and illegally imprisoned victims of a Latin American dictatorship. It is supported by a careful selection of environments,  handheld cameras, and convincing performances by actors who are completely unknown to us. Buenos Aires 1977 is a compelling socio-critical film about an unfortunate person who accidentally became entangled in ruthless machinery and only managed to escape the worst through his own tenacity and lucky chance. From a thematic and craftsmanship perspective, it deserves five stars, although the ending is somewhat truncated. Getting out of prison is one thing, getting out of a city full of informers, police raids, and military patrol jeeps crossing the streets is another. Overall impression: 90%. (30/10/2009)

Défi ciné 2018 : l’Argentine. Ce film dépeint une période dont les Argentins ne peuvent certainement pas être fiers. Pour ma part, j’ai eu du mal avec la façon dont l’histoire est racontée. Ça va sonner assez cynique, mais à part quelques exceptions, je suis resté relativement indifférent – alors qu’au vu du thème, on se serait attendu à l’inverse. Peut-être fallait-il voir le film en version originale, peut-être à un autre moment de la journée… Quoi qu’il en soit, j’ai encore appris des choses et amélioré mes connaissances. (17/02/2018)