Argentine film month at Instituto Cervantes

MANILA, Philippines - The Embassy of the Argentine Republic and the Instituto Cervantes present the Argentine Film Month this April, offering the Filipino public a varied selection of recent cinema productions representative of the visual richness and versatility of the new Argentine cinematography.

The exhibit will open on April 4, 7 p.m., with the screening of Todos Tenemos un Plan (Everybody Has a Plan), the first Argentine motion picture starring Viggo Mortensen and directed by Ana Piterbarg. The film exhibit will continue on Saturdays at 2 p.m. with the following screenings: Medianeras (Sidewalls), April 6; Viudas (Widows), April 13; El Ultimo Elvis (The Last Elvis), April 20; and El Otro (The Other), April 27.

Todos Tenemos un Plan. After several years living in Buenos Aires, Agustin (Mortensen) is obsessed with the idea of abandoning his frustrating life in the city. After the death of his twin brother, Agustin sets out to begin a new life by assuming the identity of his brother and returning to the mysterious Tigre Delta where they spent their childhood. However, shortly after his return, Agustin is involuntarily involved in the dangerous world of crime that his brother had been part of.

Medianeras. The Gustavo Taretto-directed film tells the the story of two youngsters and their city. Martin (Javier Drolas) and Mariana (Pilar Lopez de Ayala) are slightly damaged people who live in buildings just opposite one another. While they often don’t notice each other, separation might be the very thing that brings them together. The city of Buenos Aires separates and unites them at the same time.

Viudas. In the Marcos Carnevale film, Elena (Graciela Borges), a documentary filmmaker, meets her husband’s mistress at his deathbed. Not only does Elena have to bear the pain of the unlawful relationship but his dying husband asks her to take care of the youngster Adele (Valeria Bertuccelli). After the death of their beloved man, both “widows” enter into an unusual living arrangement.

El Ultimo Elvis. In director Armando Bo’s opera prima, an Elvis impersonator believing himself to be the King reincarnate wrestles with an uncertain future after reaching the age that his idol died, and is confronted with an unforeseen family tragedy. By day, Carlos Gutierrez (John McInerny) is a factory worker in Buenos Aires; by night he entertains audiences as the King of Rock and Roll.

El Otro. Arriving at a distant town, businessman Juan Desouza (Julio Chávez) decides to take the identity of a passenger who died during the bus trip. By assuming the dead man’s identity, Desouza reinvents himself, rediscovering his tastes and basic instincts. He tries to grasp the idea that the life he chose to live is not the only one possible.

All films will be shown in their original Spanish versions with English subtitles. The exhibit, which is free admission, will take place at the Auditorium of the Instituto Cervantes, 855 T. M. Kalaw, Ermita, Manila with tel. no. (632) 526-1482, fax (632) 526-1449 and website http://manila.cervantes.es.