By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 4 cats
Director: Gaston Biraben
Starring: Bárbara Lombardo | Osvaldo Santoro | Susana Campos
Country: argentina
Year: 2007
Running time: 115
IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0362496/
Bruce says: “In the 70’s Argentina had a Dirty War. Those who criticized or opposed the government were frequently disappeared. Over 30,000 missing persons have been reported. What is lesser known is many of the women captured during that time gave birth while in prison. The babies were taken from their mothers and given away to ‘more appropriate’ families, with favor shown to military supporters. Although 79 such children have been identified to date, director Biraben claims that there may be as many as 500 children in total. The current Argentine administration is the first to acknowledge these human rights violations. CAUTIVA is the story of one of them. The screenplay was written after examining many of the testimonies. Since each case history is different, the intent of the filmmaker is to capture the collective spirit of these children and their experiences.
“Christina Quadri is a normal fifteen year older, celebrating her birthday, having fun with her friends. One day she is summoned from her classroom to the Mother Superior’s office. The Mother Superior explains that a judge in central Buenos Aires wants to see her. Christina is whisked away to the judicial chambers where the judge explains that her parents are not really her biological parents and she is now a ward of the state. Her maternal grandmother is on hand and they are introduced. Shock sets in.
“Christina wants to talk to the mom and dad who raised her, the only parents she has known or believes she has. The court gives in and lets Christina see her parents before she is sent off to live with her new grandmother, Elisa. In spite of Elisa’s sensitive approach, Christina is distraught. Within a few weeks, Christina tells the court appointed psychiatrist, ‘Everybody is using me.’ As time passes Christina learns more about her biological parents and, with the help of a schoolmate, she finds Martha, the prison
matron who was present when her mother gave birth. When Martha provides a historical narrative for t e girls, Christina discovers additional shocking truths. As Cristina, Bárbara Lombardo is totally believable playing a girl seven years her junior. Aided by intelligent ensemble acting, Biraben is able to examine the history of displaced Argentine children from many angles. He effectively employs archival footage to document the historical aspects of his story. No one will be too surprised to see Henry Kissinger prominently placed beside El Presidente Videla at the 1978 World Cup; the military junta and the Dirty War had been supported by Kissinger who at the time was National Security Advisor for Nixon, then Secretary of State in Nixon and Ford’s Cabinets. 4 cats.”