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Bountiful rebound of Argentine cinema: despite this nation's recent social and economic crises, the film industry is flourishing with new works by both young and established filmmakers.

Article Excerpt
An eighty-year-old man decides to embark on a trip to find his dog, Malacara; two rip-off artists finally find themselves facing their dream deal; a man leaves prison hoping to start a new life; as summer temperatures rise, overheated residents of a small town show their stagnation and their scars; a man weighed down by routine resolves to help his father fulfill a dream.

These are just a few of the human dramas that make up "the new Argentine cinema." While its origins are unclear--some call it a boom that originated in Europe, others a mere fad--if there is anything certain about the effervescence shaking up Argentina these days, it is the great variety of cinematic themes and the legions of young, as well as not-so-young, artists who have decided to bet on the movies as a way of life and of expression.

The host of prizes these films are winning at festivals around the world, their growing public acceptance, and worldwide critical recognition have all contributed to legitimize a film industry that sees itself as an explorer of new ideas and new languages.

One of the filmmakers responsible for the rejuvenated look of Argentine cinema is Adrian Caetano. His first work, Pizza, birra y faso [Pizza, Beer, and Smokes] (1997), produced by Bruno Stagnaro, portrays the life of a gang of young social misfits who survive day to day by stealing. Through well-constructed scenes shot with a camera that wanders the streets like an ever vigilant eye, we are shown the inner world of a harsh, savage city. Among other honors, the film earned the Grand Jury Prize at Fribourg, Switzerland, and at the Toulouse, France, Latin America Film Festival; Best First Feature-length Film at the Montevideo Festival; and Best Film at the Gramado Festival in Brazil. Caetano's work continued with Bolivia (2001), which features the plight of a Bolivian immigrant who comes to work in a restaurant only to become victim of intolerance and xenophobia. Boasting outstanding black-and-white photography, Caetano restricts his narrative within the walls of a bar, building the tension from one moment to the next until it explodes with deadly force. Caetano's latest film, Un osos rojo [Red Bear] (2002), is a tough urban story, set in a dark and violent Buenos Aires, which examines the desire to reverse past mistakes and place one's faith in a new beginning, even when circumstances aren't promising.

Considered by many an...

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