Los pasos perdidos
Encyclopedia
The Lost Steps (2001
) is an Argentine
and Spanish
drama film
directed by Manane Rodríguez and written by Rodríguez and Xavier Bermúdez. The film features Irene Visedo, Luis Brandoni
, Federico Luppi, among others.
) and Inés (Concha Velasco
). Seventeen years ago the Erigarays left Argentina and moved to Spain to live a peaceful and quiet life.
However, things change rather abruptly when a famous Argentinian writer named Bruno Leardi (Federico Luppi) claims that Mónica is in reality his granddaughter named Diana, daughter of his son Diego Liardi who disappeared during the Dirty War
in Argentina.
At one point in the film Ernesto Erigaray and his cohorts accost Bruno and make it clear that harm will come to him if he persists with his accusations and attempts to see Mónica.
Erigaray decides to confront Bruno in his hotel room, but nothing is settled. The family ends up in a Court approved hearing and Ernesto Erigaray is accused of being the Argentine torturer known by his men as "El Sapo" ("The Toad") who did his nasty work in a place known as "the Cesspit." Subsequently, DNA tests prove that Mónica is indeed the daughter of Diego Liardi and Sara Pereira (a Spanish citizen). Mónica leaves the Erigaray's and they are arrested and tried for the murder of a Spanish citizen and Mónica's illegal abduction.
One year later Mónica travels to Buenos Aires
and marches with the Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo. She drops by her grandfather's home and tells him Diana has come to call on him.
The film ends with the dedication:
magazine, gave the film a mixed review, and wrote, "Built around the children of Argentina's "desaparecidos"—political victims who disappeared during the 1970s military dictatorship—The Lost Steps delivers a challenging political message in an easy-to-swallow manner. Uruguay
an director Manane Rodriguez's sophomore feature—following Portrait of Woman With Man in Background (1997
)—has powerful moments, but by focusing too strongly on the human interest rather than the politics, it ends up looking like a skeleton-in-the-closet family drama. Appearances in politically themed fests could be an option."
Nominations
2001 in film
The year 2001 in film involved some significant events, including the first of the Harry Potter series and also the first of The Lord of the Rings trilogy...
) is an Argentine
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
and Spanish
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
drama film
Drama film
A drama film is a film genre that depends mostly on in-depth development of realistic characters dealing with emotional themes. Dramatic themes such as alcoholism, drug addiction, infidelity, moral dilemmas, racial prejudice, religious intolerance, poverty, class divisions, violence against women...
directed by Manane Rodríguez and written by Rodríguez and Xavier Bermúdez. The film features Irene Visedo, Luis Brandoni
Luis Brandoni
Luis Brandoni is an Argentine film and television actor. Politically active in the centrist Radical Civic Union , he was elected to the Argentine Chamber of Deputies in 1993, where he served until, 2001...
, Federico Luppi, among others.
Plot
The film tells the story of Mónica Erigaray (Irene Visedo) who's twenty years old and lives with her parents Ernesto Erigaray (Luis BrandoniLuis Brandoni
Luis Brandoni is an Argentine film and television actor. Politically active in the centrist Radical Civic Union , he was elected to the Argentine Chamber of Deputies in 1993, where he served until, 2001...
) and Inés (Concha Velasco
Concha Velasco
Concepción Velasco Varona, known as Concha Velasco or Conchita Velasco, is a Spanish film actress, theatre actress, singer, and TV conductor. She was born at Valladolid November 29, 1939...
). Seventeen years ago the Erigarays left Argentina and moved to Spain to live a peaceful and quiet life.
However, things change rather abruptly when a famous Argentinian writer named Bruno Leardi (Federico Luppi) claims that Mónica is in reality his granddaughter named Diana, daughter of his son Diego Liardi who disappeared during the Dirty War
Dirty War
The Dirty War was a period of state-sponsored violence in Argentina from 1976 until 1983. Victims of the violence included several thousand left-wing activists, including trade unionists, students, journalists, Marxists, Peronist guerrillas and alleged sympathizers, either proved or suspected...
in Argentina.
At one point in the film Ernesto Erigaray and his cohorts accost Bruno and make it clear that harm will come to him if he persists with his accusations and attempts to see Mónica.
Erigaray decides to confront Bruno in his hotel room, but nothing is settled. The family ends up in a Court approved hearing and Ernesto Erigaray is accused of being the Argentine torturer known by his men as "El Sapo" ("The Toad") who did his nasty work in a place known as "the Cesspit." Subsequently, DNA tests prove that Mónica is indeed the daughter of Diego Liardi and Sara Pereira (a Spanish citizen). Mónica leaves the Erigaray's and they are arrested and tried for the murder of a Spanish citizen and Mónica's illegal abduction.
One year later Mónica travels to Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
and marches with the Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo. She drops by her grandfather's home and tells him Diana has come to call on him.
The film ends with the dedication:
- To the mothers and grandmothers of Plaza del Mayo, and to those who resist the abduction of our memories.
Cast
- Irene Visedo as Mónica Erigaray (Diana Liardi Pereira)
- Luis BrandoniLuis BrandoniLuis Brandoni is an Argentine film and television actor. Politically active in the centrist Radical Civic Union , he was elected to the Argentine Chamber of Deputies in 1993, where he served until, 2001...
as Ernesto Erigaray - Concha VelascoConcha VelascoConcepción Velasco Varona, known as Concha Velasco or Conchita Velasco, is a Spanish film actress, theatre actress, singer, and TV conductor. She was born at Valladolid November 29, 1939...
as Inés Laroche - Federico Luppi as Bruno Leardi
- Juan Querol as Pablo
- Jesús Blanco as Luis
- Gabriel Moreno as Gómez
- Pedro Miguel Martínez as Mélendez
- Cristina Collado as Míriam
- Amparo Valle as Matilde
- Paulina Gálvez as Abogada Leardi
- Yael Barnatán as Silvia
Critical review
Jonathan Holland, film critic for VarietyVariety (magazine)
Variety is an American weekly entertainment-trade magazine founded in New York City, New York, in 1905 by Sime Silverman. With the rise of the importance of the motion-picture industry, Daily Variety, a daily edition based in Los Angeles, California, was founded by Silverman in 1933. In 1998, the...
magazine, gave the film a mixed review, and wrote, "Built around the children of Argentina's "desaparecidos"—political victims who disappeared during the 1970s military dictatorship—The Lost Steps delivers a challenging political message in an easy-to-swallow manner. Uruguay
Uruguay
Uruguay ,officially the Oriental Republic of Uruguay,sometimes the Eastern Republic of Uruguay; ) is a country in the southeastern part of South America. It is home to some 3.5 million people, of whom 1.8 million live in the capital Montevideo and its metropolitan area...
an director Manane Rodriguez's sophomore feature—following Portrait of Woman With Man in Background (1997
1997 in film
-Events:* The original Star Wars trilogy's Special Editions are released.* Production begins on Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace.* Titanic becomes the first film to gross US$1,000,000,000 at the box office making it the highest grossing film in history until Avatar broke the record in 2010.*...
)—has powerful moments, but by focusing too strongly on the human interest rather than the politics, it ends up looking like a skeleton-in-the-closet family drama. Appearances in politically themed fests could be an option."
Awards
Wins- Valladolid International Film Festival: FIPRESCIFIPRESCIThe International Federation of Film Critics is an association of national organizations of professional film critics and film journalists from around the world for "the promotion and development of film culture and for the safeguarding of professional interests." It was founded in June 1930 in...
Prize - Special Mention, Manane Rodríguez; for confronting universal ambiguities in personal and social-political contexts and opting for harsh truth against convenient lies; 2001. - Toulouse Cinespaña, Toulouse, France: Prix Cinespaña, Manane Rodríguez; 2002.
Nominations
- Argentine Film Critics Association Awards: Silver Condor, Best Actress, Irene Visedo; 2002.
- Bogota Film Festival: Golden Precolumbian Circle, Best Film, Manane Rodríguez; 2002.
- Valladolid International Film Festival: Golden Spike, Manane Rodríguez; 2001.
External links
- Los pasos perdidos at the cinenacional.comCinenacional.comCinenacional.com is a web portal and web-based database about Argentine cinema.The site provides a vast array of information, including: films, television programs, directors, actors, cinematographers, film editors, production designers, and other production professions in Argentina...
- Los pasos perdidos review at La Butaca by Rubén Corral