Ricardo Wullicher
Encyclopedia
Ricardo Wullicher is a film director from Argentina
. He is best known for his 1976 thriller La casa de las sombras (House of shadows).
Wullicher was born in Buenos Aires
. His 1972 movie Quebracho tells the story of "La Forestal," an English company extracting Quebracho tree
s between 1900 to 1963 in the northern province of Santa Fe
. The wood and its main product, tannin
, were highly-coveted between 1918 and 1945 and became a focal point of political and social struggles connected with the evolution of trade unionism, as well as the emergence of the Radical Civic Union
and Peronism
. It is considered an iconic film of its period, if now somewhat dated. His 1978 documentary Borges para millones, about the writer Jorge Luis Borges
, includes an interview with Borges and staged reenactments of some of his works.
After the return to civilian rule in 1983, the government of Raúl Alfonsín
abolished censorship, placing Wullicher and Manuel Antín
in charge of the National Film Institute. The period that followed saw a renaissance in the Argentine film industry.
Wullicher's 1995 film La nave de los locos (The ship of fools) is set in a small town in Patagonia
, where a Mapuche
Indian chief sets fire to a tourist complex that is under construction, and refuses to defend himself.
The story contrasts his approach of waiting for help to arrive from the ship of fools, a traditional source of strength that caused him to start the fire, and that of his appointed defense lawyer, a white woman who argues that he acting in self-defense since the commercial structures were being built on the sacred burial grounds of his ancestors.
His book Magic Bay (Spanish title: Bahía mágica) was the subject of the animated adventure film of the same name
released in December 2002.
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...
. He is best known for his 1976 thriller La casa de las sombras (House of shadows).
Wullicher was born in 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...
. His 1972 movie Quebracho tells the story of "La Forestal," an English company extracting Quebracho tree
Quebracho tree
Quebracho is a common name in Spanish to describe very hard wood tree species. The etymology of the name derived from quiebrahacha, or quebrar hacha, meaning "axe-breaker".-Species:...
s between 1900 to 1963 in the northern province of Santa Fe
Santa Fe, Argentina
Santa Fe is the capital city of province of Santa Fe, Argentina. It sits in northeastern Argentina, near the junction of the Paraná and Salado rivers. It lies opposite the city of Paraná, to which it is linked by the Hernandarias Subfluvial Tunnel. The city is also connected by canal with the...
. The wood and its main product, tannin
Tannin
A tannin is an astringent, bitter plant polyphenolic compound that binds to and precipitates proteins and various other organic compounds including amino acids and alkaloids.The term tannin refers to the use of...
, were highly-coveted between 1918 and 1945 and became a focal point of political and social struggles connected with the evolution of trade unionism, as well as the emergence of the Radical Civic Union
Radical Civic Union
The Radical Civic Union is a political party in Argentina. The party's positions on issues range from liberal to social democratic. The UCR is a member of the Socialist International. Founded in 1891 by radical liberals, it is the oldest political party active in Argentina...
and Peronism
Peronism
Peronism , or Justicialism , is an Argentine political movement based on the programmes associated with former President Juan Perón and his second wife, Eva Perón...
. It is considered an iconic film of its period, if now somewhat dated. His 1978 documentary Borges para millones, about the writer Jorge Luis Borges
Jorge Luis Borges
Jorge Francisco Isidoro Luis Borges Acevedo , known as Jorge Luis Borges , was an Argentine writer, essayist, poet and translator born in Buenos Aires. In 1914 his family moved to Switzerland where he attended school, receiving his baccalauréat from the Collège de Genève in 1918. The family...
, includes an interview with Borges and staged reenactments of some of his works.
After the return to civilian rule in 1983, the government of Raúl Alfonsín
Raúl Alfonsín
Raúl Ricardo Alfonsín was an Argentine lawyer, politician and statesman, who served as the President of Argentina from December 10, 1983, to July 8, 1989. Alfonsín was the first democratically-elected president of Argentina following the military government known as the National Reorganization...
abolished censorship, placing Wullicher and Manuel Antín
Manuel Antín
Manuel Antín is an Argentine film director and screenwriter.Manuel Antin was born in Las Palmas, Chaco Province, in 1926. He first wrote for Argentine television in 1956 and made his directorial debut in 1962 with his first film: La Cifra Impar based on a tale of Julio Cortázar...
in charge of the National Film Institute. The period that followed saw a renaissance in the Argentine film industry.
Wullicher's 1995 film La nave de los locos (The ship of fools) is set in a small town in Patagonia
Patagonia
Patagonia is a region located in Argentina and Chile, integrating the southernmost section of the Andes mountains to the southwest towards the Pacific ocean and from the east of the cordillera to the valleys it follows south through Colorado River towards Carmen de Patagones in the Atlantic Ocean...
, where a Mapuche
Mapuche
The Mapuche are a group of indigenous inhabitants of south-central Chile and southwestern Argentina. They constitute a wide-ranging ethnicity composed of various groups who shared a common social, religious and economic structure, as well as a common linguistic heritage. Their influence extended...
Indian chief sets fire to a tourist complex that is under construction, and refuses to defend himself.
The story contrasts his approach of waiting for help to arrive from the ship of fools, a traditional source of strength that caused him to start the fire, and that of his appointed defense lawyer, a white woman who argues that he acting in self-defense since the commercial structures were being built on the sacred burial grounds of his ancestors.
His book Magic Bay (Spanish title: Bahía mágica) was the subject of the animated adventure film of the same name
Magic Bay
Magic Bay is a 2002 Argentine animated adventure film combining a human cast with animated figures, directed by Marina Valentini and script written by José María Paolantonio based on a book by Ricardo Wullicher....
released in December 2002.
Filmography
Wullicher directed the following films:- 1972 Quebracho
- 1976 La casa de las sombras (House of shadows) (Thriller)
- 1977 Saverio, el cruel
- 1978 Borges para millones (documentary)
- 1981 De la misteriosa Buenos Aires (segment "Pulsera de los cascabeles, La")
- 1983 Mercedes Sosa: como un pájaro libre (documentary)
- 1995 La nave de los locos (The ship of fools)
- 2010 Para todos los hombres y mujeres de buena voluntad (short)