Kamchatka

I watched this as part of a film festival 2 years ago and it still lives with me today. As tender and compelling a depiction of love within a family as it is an indictment of the atrocities of the Argentinian police state which left so many unaccounted for. Beautiful, measured acting and direction matched by the cinematography and scripting. The focus on the relationship between the father and his two sons is heart-rending - gentle, subtle details of their bond and love for each other heighten the sense of dread as the net closes in. The final scenes are real, devoid of Hollywood soft-focus sanitising. Behind this story are countless personal tragedies, the realization of which only serves to make the emotions flood deeper still within you. I saw this in Auckland, NZ, and at the end of the screening silence filled the auditorium. No one moved. A small group at the front, one with an Argentinian flag, formed a circle and held a silent prayer together. This is a film of real power, go and see it.

I've just seen this move, and I think it's wonderful. The performance of Ricardo Darin and Cecilia Roth is superb. The movie show us how life was in Argentina for dissident people, in the seventies, under the military government. I am not an Argentinian, so I don't know much of its history. If you are like me, I recommend you to read the summary of the movie that is in the Extras section of the DVD, to be acquainted of the political situation in this years. If you are in your late thirties, or even if you are older, you'll also enjoy remembering those old beautiful songs. I thought "Son of the bride" was the best movie of Ricardo Darin, but I was wrong. This movie is as good or better.

This is an engaging tale narrated in sensitivity and intelligence and are treated ethic and moral issues developed in great sense of ductility and fairness . Dealing with the story of a family – Harry, Midget and their parents- , as they go into hiding , being based on the notorious novel written by Marcelo Figueras who breaks down his book 'Kamchatka'. It is set in 1976 , Argentina , there happens a coup d'etat led by General Videla and other officers . Thousands of citizens opposed to military regime are chased and kidnapped , as there are numerous missing people . Ten-year-old Harry , who does not know that Argentina's 1976 coup d'état is impacting his life . After witnessing the "disappearance" of dissident friends , a human rights advocate at law (Ricardo Darín) and his research scientist spouse (Cecilia Roth) take their children from school , Harry and his little brother , leave their home and all of them go to a vacant summer house . They flee the city and hide at a far mansion from the military police . With them are their two kids : Harry (Matia Del Pozo) , who is fascinated with the escape artistry of ¨Harry Houdini¨ , ¨Mandrake¨ and TV series as ¨Roy Thinnes' The Invaders¨ (1967) , ¨Simon Templar's The Saint¨ and along with the little guy (Milton De La Canal) , nicknamed El Enano (The actual translation is "dwarf") , they form a close-knit family living at a hidden house . Both of whom finally learn the meaning of the family and help each other . At the countryside mansion , all of them adopt new identities and try to lead a normal life . Subtly hinted , however, and used as a metaphor , is the mother's constant smoking and El Enano's renewed bed-wetting . After that , at the location placed in city outskirts , they are joined by a young student who is using the alias Lucas (Tomás Fonzi) and he really befriends Harry . Their new life is difficult , but a visit with their estranged grandparents : grandmother(Fernanda Mistral) and grandfather (Héctor Alterio) reveals that they are still an intimate family . As a host of characters , completely change the tedious life of Harry .

Enticing as well as intelligent film plenty of good feeling , sense , deep sensibility as well as a well written script delving into the human psyche , showing how stressful and precarious situation of a beloved family is . Based on Marcelo Figueras' novel "Kamchatka" - who grew up in Argentina and currently lives in Barcelona- , this is his first to be translated into English concerning about the foursome takes on new identities at the beginning of Argentina's Dirty War in 1976 ; the 309-page book is told from Harry's perspective and takes its title from a key territory in the board game Risk . The film is seen through the eyes of a ten-year-old boy , being an agreeable , quiet film , perfectly acted and concerning the narration about the relationship between parents and children . This is a brooding yarn in which there is a psychologically intense character studio of the likable members of a peculiar family being harassed , chased , pursued by the military regime . The film attempts to spread optimism about the events of life , in spite of the relentless pursuit they suffer , with its amusing sides and dark areas . Trying to be realistic and make everything as in a fairytale but giving way to mirth and humor . In addition , the film gives us a nice panorama about a middle-class family , its pity , goodness, sacrifice , companionship and various situations happen in its existence . Marcelo Piñeyro tries to mix genres ranging from comedy to melodrama with some sensitive touches . The veteran actors , Ricardo Darin and Cecilia Roth give very good performances . Gentle , sympathetic the little boy played by Matias Del Pozo along with his brother , Milton De La Canal . It is an endearing and intimate film , well directed and well acted by a fine cast , but perhaps fails a little the main protagonist , Harry , whose optimism is as obvious that results to be excessive . Supporting cast is frankly excellent as Tomas Fonzi and aged players as Héctor Alterio and Fernanda Mistral .

Colorful cinematography by Alfredo Mayo , considered to be one of the best Spanish cameraman , author of splendid photographs in notorious films such as ¨Mondays in the sun¨, ¨Kika , ¨High heels¨ , "Sex, Party and Lies" , "The Galíndez File" , ¨Heroína¨ and several others . Lively , moving as well as emotive musical score by Bingen Mendizábal . Adding known songs adapted with roots in popular music of the seventies ; recreating the essence of the epoch with vintage songs , accompanying sensual melodies and lyrics such as ¨Son Tus Perfumes Mujer¨, including some memorable images when the family members dance themselves . The motion picture was well directed by Marcelo Pyñeiro and it was Argentina's official submission for the 2002 Oscar Awards, Foreign Language film category . He was born in 1953 in Buenos Aires, Argentina . Marcelo usually works with his fetish actor , Leonardo Sbaraglia . Piñeyro is a director and writer , especially known for ¨Plata Quemada¨ (2000) and , of course , the big hit : ¨El Método¨ or ¨the Method¨ (2005) . Marcelo has directed the following films -being most of them dramas and thrillers- : 2009 ¨La Viudas De Jueves¨ , 2003 ¨Kamchatka¨ , 2000 ¨Plata Quemada¨ or ¨Burst money¨ , 1997 ¨Cenizas del Paraíso¨ , 1995 ¨Caballos Salvajes¨ and 1993 ¨Tango Feroz¨ . Rating : 7/10 .

This film leaves you all possibilities to form your own impressions. From the beginning till the end there are no data which supply you information about the the characters, what was their fault, what did they do and what would happen after. Still, all these questions are automatically answered when one knows and realizes what was happening in Argentina. The close harmony in which the family lives, the game the father is playing with his son has a educational life value. He will learn how to manipulate and stand in the world when he has grown up. The decision to bring their children to their grandfather,the running after a leaving car, gives you all the reason to use a handkerchief. Who wants to leave his children behind? What will happen to the parents? It is amazing that still today, there are people like Mr Zorrequita who deny that this ever happened. They simply did not know??? Where have we heard this before? A beautiful film. TOP

Like "Harry", I always enjoyed playing TEG. If you have never played it, don´t worry, for it´s actually pretty simple: one board with fifty countries, and three or four players trying to control 30 of them to win the game. But Harry has never played with so many people - he just plays with his dad. And when its only two players, it is a fight to the death: all 50 countries or nothing. Harry has never won before, and he is very close to winning - but his dad, controlling this little, obscure region on the edge of the board, this remote place with a tongue twister of a name, Kamchatka, still manages to resist for hours and hours. As Harry will learn later, surviving against all odds is indeed possible... and as he warns us as the movie begins, this will be the last and most memorable lesson he has learned from his father.

A touching tale made up of childhood memories, Kamchatka tells the story of a middle-class couple in Argentina in the mid-70s, during the military dictatorship that horrified and scarred the country. One day, without warning, the couple take their two children to an abandoned house, desperately trying to escape. But of course, the children understand nothing of this - instead they are forced to leave their lives behind and even change their names. The movie cleverly focuses on the older of the two boys, Harry (who actually names himself after Harry Houdini), and suggests the horrors of the period through subtle (and sometimes not so subtle) metaphors, sometimes with a sense of humor you wouldn´t expect for this type of pictures.

The good thing about "Kamchatka" is that it is not a history lesson - you never know exactly what the parents (and the other people that come and go into the children´s lives) did to be hiding, but it doesn´t really matter. What matter is that the film accurately portrays the heartbreaking situation of a man and a woman who do not know if they´ll live to see their children grow, and are still strong enough to fight back and try to smile for them. We don´t know what they did when they left the house every day. We don´t know what happened to their friends and co-workers. We don´t even learn their real names - like so many of the "desaparecidos", they are the anonymous victims of a goverment that almost destroyed a country. We only see the couple through the innocent - but oddly wise - eyes of their children.

Ricardo Darin and Cecilia Roth have once again proved with this movie that they are some of the best actors in Argentina right now - I´ve seen them both in more demanding roles, mind, and this is far from being their best performances... and yet they are both believable and their chemistry with the children is perfect. Director Ricardo Piñeyro knows what he is doing, and it shows: with this type of material it is dangerously easy to fall into the trap of making a cheap melodrama, and yet he manages (for the most part) to avoid making the picture overly sentimental or manipulative. Kamchatka may not be a perfect film, but it´s heart-felt and beautifully filmed.

For viewers who wish to know more about this dark time in Argentina´s history, you may rent the excellent Oscar-winning "The Official Story".