"Horseplay" and the cinema of Marco Berger

by Cláudio Alves

HORSEPLAY (2022)

Last week, Marco Berger's Horseplay enjoyed a limited release in American theaters. The film is the Argentinean director's latest purview of queer desire among straight-passing men, full of his trademark languidness and crotch shots galore. In some ways, it represents an Ozu-like return to heretofore explored premises, with both variations and shapeshifting tone making the virtually identical feel radically distinct. For those who've been following Berger's career, it might be a rewarding foray into violent bleakness. For viewers first encountering his oeuvre, it makes for a strange introduction. 

With that in mind, let's think back to the auteur's evolution, from blue-balling short exercises to the latent disquiet of Horseplay…

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Streaming: Argentina’s Oscar Submission ‘Argentina, 1985’

By Abe Friedtanzer

One of the benefits of screening selections for Best International Feature is not only to see different worldwide approaches to filmmaking but also to get to understand national histories. European entries, for instance, often engage with the Holocaust, while a finalist from a few years ago, Truth and Justice, was based on a highly influential book in Estonia known throughout that country. Argentina, 1985, now streaming on Amazon Prime, confronts a more recent period in that nation’s history, documenting an unprecedented reckoning with the crimes of its military leaders in a trailblazing civil case.

Ricardo Darín, a familiar face from Argentinian cinema and its recent nominees, The Secret in their Eyes and Wild Tales, stars as Julio César Strassera, the lead prosecutor in the Trial of the Juntas. It was an undesirable assignment given the extraordinary influence of the military dictatorship that had only recently been replaced by a new democratic government...

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Venice at Home – Day 4: Politics & Portraiture

by Cláudio Alves

With the fourth day of festivities, conversations about who's a contender for the Golden Lion start to blossom here and there. While the critical response hasn't been unanimous, Laura Poitras' All the Beauty and the Bloodshed could be a future prizewinner. Speaking of Venetian trophies, the last time Andrea Pallaoro competed, Charlotte Rampling won the Volpi Cup for Best Actress. His new film, Monica, has elicited muted responses, but hope is everlasting for its impressive cast led by Trace Lysette and Patricia Clarkson. Finally, Argentina, 1985 reunites director Santiago Mitre with actor Ricardo Darín for a prestigious historical drama that will get its streaming premiere on Amazon Prime Video this October.

For this project's purpose, let's remember when Poitras met Snowden, when Pallaoro led Rampling to Venice gold, and Mitre's first time directing Darín… 

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Best International Film: Argentina, Hungary, Thailand

by Cláudio Alves

No matter how many masterpieces the genre regularly produces, the Academy cares very little for horror. Every year, a bunch of cinematic nightmares get critical raves and sometimes box office success but fail to capture AMPAS' attention. Not even the Makeup and Hairstyling category, a logical place to reward a cinema full of dilacerated flesh, is very keen on horror. The same happens with the Best International Film race, though that doesn't stop some brave countries from submitting scary movies. This year, some of the more horrific offerings include submissions from Argentina, Hungary, and Thailand…

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Best International Feature: Argentina, Canada, Russia

by Cláudio Alves

Last time, our voyage through the Best International Feature Oscar submissions took us to the entries from some of the biggest film industries in the world. Today's countries may not be as prolific in terms of cinematic production, but they are gigantic when it comes to population and landmass. Furthermore, their submissions are united by a common theme – the relationship between mothers and daughters, familial bonds in distress. Without further ado, let's explore the maternal meditations of Argentina, Canada, and Russia…

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