‘Argentina 1985’ fails to beat big favorite German ‘No news from the front’Winner of the Best Foreign Language Film at the 95th Academy Awards held at the Dolby Theater in Los Angeles.
“Argentina, 1985”, which chronicles the case against the top officials of the last civil-military dictatorship in Argentina (1976-1983), fell to the other big favorite, the German “All Quiet on the Western Front.” South American, Belgian “Close”, Irish “Silent Girl” and Polish “EO”.
Although he does not taste the honey of victory, Argentina receives nine awards from the Hollywood Academy In addition to eight nominations for the same award that Santiago Miter’s work is aiming for this Sunday, including two in the Best International Film category and seven in different categories.
The film, starring Ricardo Darín and Peter Lanzani, failed to add to that list of victories, despite winning the Golden Globe for Best International Feature, which is usually a winner at the Oscars.
First nomination and first prize
Based on the Uruguayan novel of the same name. Mario Benedetti, “Truce” (1974) It was the first Argentine film to be nominated for an Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film, and the second from South America, after the Brazilian film. “Paying His Promise” (1962).
“La trgua”, which includes important filmmakers such as Héctor Alterio, Ana María Picchio and Luis Brandoni, could not compete with the others that year. Amarcord, the latest film by Federico Fellini Awarded by the Hollywood Academy.
Ten years passed before we saw an Argentine film again among the five nominees. it happened “Camilla” (1984)By María Luisa Bemberg, who failed to win the Swiss “La diagonal del loco”.
But the third time was fascinating: he achieved international fame thanks to Argentine cinema. “Official Story” (1985)Business set in the fall of the dictatorship.
This film by Luis Puenzo, which has a very emotional narrative tone, is about a well-to-do class teacher played by Norma Aleandro, who begins to realize the atrocities committed during the period of State terror, such as the disappearance of babies.
The road to the second Oscar
After this milestone, Argentina touched the statuette twice: “Tango, never leave me” (1998) by the recently deceased Carlos Saura and “El hijo de la novia” (2001) by Juan José CampanellaThey lost the opportunity to win an Oscar before “Life is beautiful” (Italy) and “In Nobody’s Land” (Bosnia and Herzegovina), respectively.
Far from being discouraged, Campanella gained an important place in Argentine cinema history a few years later with the film “El secreto de sus ojos” (2009), inspired by Eduardo Sacheri’s novel “The Question of Your Eyes”. Oscar-winning movie in 2010.
Established as one of Argentina’s top-grossing films, “El secreto de sus ojos” had all the elements to shine, with a mysterious plot and an unforgettable love story driven by performances by Ricardo Darín and Soledad Villamil.
The same Darín who shines as prosecutor Julio Strassera in “Argentina, 1985” this year starred in one of six trailers for “Wild Tales” (2014), the seventh Argentine film to be nominated for an Oscar in this category. ” Bombita” is the name that the actor himself adopted for social networks.
The eighth was exactly “Argentina, 1985”.
Other Argentina awards
In other categories, the most prominent example is the musician and composer. Gustavo Santaolalla, winner of the Oscar for Best Soundtrack For “Brokeback Mountain” (2005) and “Babel” (2006), the same prize pianist Luis Bacalov previously won for “El cartero” (1995).
Also art director Eugenio Zanetti won the Best Production Design Oscar for the movie “Restoration”. (1995), French-Argentine producer Nicolas Schmerkin won the Oscar for Best Animated Short for “Logorama” (2009), and Armando Bó and Nicolás Giacobone received the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay for “Birdman” (2014).
The last Argentine to receive the statuette Historical composer and conductor Lalo Schifrin, who won an honorary Oscar in 2018 for his professional career.