Though this year’s Cannes film festival was well represented by Latin American and Spanish speaking cinema, with the exception of the brilliant film from Chile called Tony Manero, it was this contingent of films such as to Pablo Trapero‘s Brazilian, Argentine and Korean co-production that got lost in the shuffle. Though I missed the film and never bothered to see it in carry over fests several months later, the folks at Strand Releasing believe they got themselves a prison life drama that is compelling enough for theatrical play. Variety reports that Lion’s Den (Leonera) – Argentina’s pick for Oscar consideration in the foreign-language film category will be released in theaters next year.
In a gripping opening sequence, a pregnant young woman, Julia, wakes in her apartment beside the bloodied bodies of two men, Ramiro and Nahuel. Ramiro is still alive, Nahuel is dead, and Julia herself is pretty beaten. We deduce that both have been her lovers, and that a crime of passion has occurred. The night’s events are unclear, and both Ramiro and Julia are remanded in custody. When Julia is eventually convicted, she faces the prospect of raising her son in jail, with the knowledge that when he is four he will be taken away from her.
Trapero has been a popular Argentinean filmmaker on the international film festival circuit with his portraits Rolling Family (Familia rodante) and Born and Bred (Nacido y criado). He is currently working on Pampas – another jail themed portrait played by Martina Gusman — who gives birth in prison and struggles to bring up her son with dignity.
