Luna de Avellaneda (2004)

Director:

Juan José Campanella

Writers:

Juan José Campanella (writer)
Fernando Castets (writer)

Release Date:

20 May 2004 (Argentina)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Sport

Plot:

The story of a social and sports club in a Buenos Aires neighborhood and of those who try to save it from being closed.

Plot Keywords:

Club | Casino

Awards:

9 wins & 14 nominations

Cast

Ricardo Darín	...	Román Maldonado
Eduardo Blanco	...	Amadeo Grimberg
Mercedes Morán	...	Graciela
Valeria Bertuccelli	...	Cristina
Silvia Kutika	...	Verónica
José Luis López Vázquez	...	Don Aquiles
Daniel Fanego	...	Alejandro
Atilio Pozzobon	...	Atilio
Horacio Peña	...	Julio
María Victoria Biscay	...	Macarena
Francisco Fernández De Rosa	...	Darío
Micaela Moreno	...	Dalma
Alan Sabbagh	...	Ismael
Sofia Bertolotto	...	Yanina, Dario´s girlfiend
Claudia Santos

Also Known As:

Luna de Avellaneda (Spain)
Moon of Avellaneda (International: English title)

Runtime:

143 min

Country:

Argentina | Spain

Language:

Spanish

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Brazil:14 | Argentina:Atp | Spain:7 | Chile:TE

Filming Locations:

Buenos Aires, Federal District, Argentina

Company:

100 Bares

Quotes:

Graciela: [speaking of her son in dental brackets] He's a dental retarded!

How do they do it?

I just watched this movie as part of a screening organized by the Vancouver Latin American Film Festival organizers.

"How?", I ask, that Argentinians (well, Juan Jose Campanella & co.) keep making these amazing little movies with almost no budget? I'm Mexican, and proud as I may be about the very, very few recent successes Mexican cinema may have, I do think (and, oh, please, don't let nationalisms rise, this is TRUE) Argentinian cinema has a thing or two to teach the entire Latin American movie industry.

For starters: the story is so simple, the budget issue is leveled. And no, there's no bank robberies, no kidnappings, no killings, no raping and even curse words are used with such cleverness that they recover their meaning.

Second, the script itself, its dialog: it rings true and alive throughout the whole story. Granted: I don't get many of the South American jargon, but I still get the point.

Third, the cast. What a marvelous ensemble.

Fourth: it's damn funny (check the 'dental retarded' line) and heartwarming as well (without being it preachy; reality smacks down any attempt from "preachines").

What gets me is that this movie was released in 2004. It took me 4 years to find out about it. Four years! Why? Why do smart/polished productions like these get the short end of the stick? They're good stories and they're PROFITABLE stories as well! The movie was bringing down the house in the Anglosaxon-filled theater it was shown.

I guess it all comes down to numbers. There's too much competition and distributors don't have faith in contemporary gems like these. That's probably what forces its directors to leave for better work fields and put their hands on NorthAmerican TV series like "30 Rock", "House M.D." or "Law and Order: SVU".

Hopefully, we'll see more of these Latin American (thank you, Argentina) movies in the future.

Did you liked this movie? Try "El hijo de la novia (The Bride's Son, 2001)" or "Valentin (2002)".