New Argentine Cinema
Argentinean cinema has had a rich history of turmoil and glorification. It has developed throughout the 1900’s and has gone through low times and high times. Watching argentine cinema is one of the best ways of tapping into the country’s rich culture.
During the 1920’s Hollywood dominated not only Argentine theaters, but theaters all over Latin America. 90% of the viewing time in Argentina was from Hollywood. However, starting in the 1950’s, something great happened. “New Argentine Cinema started as a movement of independent films which were a far more honest and accurate reflection of life in the country” (Footprint 3). Some of the influential films of the 1950’s included Nilsson’s La Casa del Ángle and Birri’s documentary, Tire díe, which is about young shantytown children. Birri used neo-realist principles to convey the underlying realities of Argentina.
In the 1960’s revolutionary spirit was demonstrated through films of Manuel Antín, David Kohon, and Leonardo Favio. However the most influential Argentinean film of the 1960’s is Solanas’s La Hora de los Hornos. The film portrayed feelings of liberation and freedom.
1970’s Argentine cinema was censored through the dictatorship of Juan Domingo Perón. Many filmmakers found it difficult to adapt to the oppression of Perón and having to produce films with no controversy whatsoever.
In 1983, civilian rule returned to Argentina. Censorship was abolished and Argentina experienced a golden age of film. In 1986, the Hollywood Academy granted Luis Puenzo’s, The Official Version, Argentine’s film’s first Oscar. This was a major accomplishment for Argentinean film and had a major effect on the industry. Themes of Argentinean film during the 1980’s included military regime, labor rights, and corporate corruption. New young directors and filmmakers flourished during the 1980’s. One of the reasons that this happened was because the government put two very well know filmmakers named Manuel Antín and Ricardo Wullicher in charge of the National Film Institute. These men granted credits to young directors and used an internationalist outlook that immediately impacted Argentine cinema. Unfortunately, Argentina experienced an economic downturn in the late 1980’s hindered the further development of Argentine cinema.
In the past few years, Argentine cinema has made a bit of a comeback. But once again, the homegrown movies in Argentina must compete with the highly advertised Hollywood films. Argentinean film has grown exponentially since its beginning. Directors like Solanas have made Argentine film what it is today, with film festivals and great independent films.
