Argentina is probably better known for her sporting feats, tango or beef than for her films. This roundup of films, while by no means comprehensive, is an attempt to reverse that and, hopefully, to provide a small glimpse into Argentinean culture.

The Secret in Their Eyes (2009 crime thriller), directed by Juan José Campanella and starring Ricardo Darín, Soledad Villamil, Guillermo Francella. The action of this Academy Award winner is set in the present interspersed with continuous flashbacks to the 1970s. This thriller is about unrequited love, an unsolved crime, an unfinished novel and the political situation in Argentina in the seventies. My favourite scene of all times is the one in the  football stadium.

What the critics have said:

Campanella approaches the material with a classic hand no quick cuts, special effects or gimmicks here. This is a flesh-and-blood movie, and both Darin and Villamil bring earthy presence to the story. Tom Long, Detroit News.

The wonder is that the film balances its many genres, from the thorns of murder to the bloom of romance to the thickets of politics, with such easy grace. Rick Groen, Globe and Mail

Watch the official trailer here:

Carancho (2010 crime, drama, romance), directed by Pablo Trapero and starring Ricardo Darín and Martina Gusmán. A carancho (Caracara plancus) is a carrion bird native to South America and a fitting moniker for an ambulance-chaser. Sosa (Ricardo Darín) is a personal injury attorney without scruples and Luján (Martina Gusmán) is a young, idealistic doctor and new in town. This unlikely love story develops against a background of violence and corruption.

What the critics have said:

Carancho was Argentinas nominee for the foreign-language Oscar. It didnt make the short list, but life isnt always fair. V.A. Musetto, New York Post.

Hard to watch, though fascinating for its performances, and the bottomless corruption it portrays. Joe Morgenstern, Wall Street Journal.

Watch the official trailer here:

The Son of the Bride (2001 comedy drama Academy Award Nominee) directed by Juan José Campanella and starring Norma Aleandro, Héctor Alterio and Ricardo Darín. Rafael Belvedere (Ricardo Darín) is a divorced restauranteur going through a mid-life crisis. His mother suffers from Alzheimers and his father decides its time to renew their wedding vows. Juggling work, an estranged daughter, a girlfriend and organizing his parents ceremony proves too much for Belvedere.

What the critics have said:

Like any good romance, Son of the Bride, proves its never too late to learn. Michael OSullivan, Washington Post.

Its fresh, funny, biting, fast-paced and reasonably perceptive about people and their problems. Michale Wilmington, Chicago Tribune

Nine Queens (2001 comedy) directed by Fabián Bielinsky and starring Ricardo Darín, Leticia Brédice and Gastón Pauls. This film follows the exploits of veteran con artist Marcos and newbie Juan, who partner up to pull off a big swindle, the forgery of a rare stamp called the Nine Queens. Its funny, entertaining and has great photography and great views of Buenos Aires.

What the critics have said;

If Nine Queens draws you on a journey that eventually leads up a garden path toward your own suckerhood, its all the more pleasurable for having done so with such slick expertise. Geoff Pevere, Toronto Star

Driven by a plot thats so tightly wound, we cannot look away for wanting to know what will happen next and who is double-crossing whom. Richard Nielsen, Arizona Republic

Watch the official trailer here:

Kyrgyz documentary film “Long Distance love” about love and more.

More Kyrgyz cinema: Almaz

Retracing the Journey of Refugees and Asylum Seekers (documentary)

Similar Posts:

• A long long way: Irish history in popular media
• Music in Denmark: Tradition and Change
• Florida Culture for the Week of June 13 by Josh Garrick
• Oskar Barnack Award 2011: The Winners
• Lola Akinmade Åkerström : A GeoTraveler