Filmmakers María Alché and Benjamín Naishtat
Crowning an impressive representation at the 71st edition of the San Sebastian Film Festival, Argentine cinema was the big winner in this evening’s awards ceremony, where a handful of productions from the South American country took some of the top prizes in the different sections of the Spanish festival.
In the main international competition, the comedy Puan by writer-directors María Alché and Benjamín Naishtat was presented with two awards: the Jury Prize for Best Screenplay and for Best Leading Performance (ex aequo) for its protagonist Marcelo Subiotto.
Puan tells the story of Marcelo, who has devoted his life to teaching philosophy at the Public University of Buenos Aires. When his mentor Professor Caselli dies unexpectedly, Marcelo hopes to become the new head of Department. However, his plans turn upside down with the unexpected arrival of Rafael Sujarchuk. Charismatic and seductive, Rafael returns from his pedestal in European universities to claim the vacant position for himself. Marcelo's clumsy efforts to prove he is the right candidate will trigger a philosophical duel, while his life—and the country—enter a spiral of chaos.
The documentary film The Castle / El castillo by Martín Benchimol was the winner of Latino Horizons Award for Best Film. The film tells the story of Justina, who inherits a mansion in the middle of the Argentine pampas after having worked as a housekeeper all her life for her former employer. Nevertheless, the inheritance comes with one condition: she must take care of the place and never sell it. In this modern fairytale, Justina and her daughter will face the challenges of keeping that promise alive.
The Human Surge 3 by Argentine director Eduardo Williams was the winner of the Zabaltegi-Tabakalera Award. The film shot with a 360-degree camera in Taiwan, Sri Lanka, and Peru, follows different groups of friends who wander in a rainy, windy, dark world. They spend time together, trying to get away from their depressing jobs, meandering constantly towards the mystery of new possibilities. The jury in the Zabaltegi-Tabakalera competition decided to give a Special Mention to the Argentine documentary The Trial / El juicio by Ulises de la Órden.
Additionally, the Argentine co-production The Blue Star / La estrella azul by Spanish director Javier Macipe was the winner of the TCM Youth Award. As it was previously announced, the Argentine dark comedy Most People Die on Sundays / Los domingos mueren más personas by Iair Said was the winner of the two prizes in the Latin American work in progress competition.
In total, 15 Argentine films participated in the festival’s different sections, and ten projects from the South American country were selected for the industry programs of the Spanish festival, which in its 71st edition took place September 22-30.
