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Home   »   Film-of-the-Month Club   »   Our Films   »   CLANDESTINE CHILDHOOD

CLANDESTINE CHILDHOOD

Directed by Benjamín Ávila
  • YEAR 10 - FILM 12 / 
  • Argentina, Spain and Brazil / 
  • 2012 / 
  • Spanish with English subtitles / 
  • 110 min
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"Seductive! An intimate, richly tactile and impressionistic picture of a 'once-upon-a-time' in childhood."
– Manohla Dargis, The New York Times
"Impressive! Ávila is an artist worth keeping an eye on."
– David Fear, Time Out New York
"Vibrant! A charming, involving first feature!"
– Alan Scherstuhl, The Village Voice

Synopsis

Argentina, 1979. After years of exile, Juan (12) and his family come back to Argentina under fake identities. Juan's parents and his uncle Beto are members of the Montoneros Organization, which is fighting against the Military Junta that rules the country. Because of their political activities they are being tracked down relentlessly, and the threat of capture and even death is constant. However, Juan's daily life is also full of warmth and humor, and he quickly and easily integrates into his new environment. His friends at school and the girl he has a gigantic crush on, Maria, know him as Ernesto, a name he must not forget, since his family's survival is at stake. Juan accepts this and follows all of his parents' rules until one day he is told that they need to move again immediately, and leave his friends and Maria behind without an explanation. This is a story about militancy, undercover life, and love. The story of a clandestine childhood.

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Customer Reviews


JeffinSeattle - Customer Review
A very good account of a young boy in hiding with his socialist parents. This is a time when Argentina hunts down anyone with left-leaning political views. Political opponents simply vanished. This yong boy assumes a new identity and tries to assume a normal childhood and a relationship with a girl inhis school. This film is very well done!

Photos

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Juan (Teo Gutierrez Moreno)
Juan (Teo Gutierrez Moreno) and Charo (Natalia Oreiro)
Juan (Teo Gutierrez Moreno) and Uncle Beto (Ernesto Alterio)
Director Benjamin Ávila
CLANDESTINE CHILDHOOD poster
Juan (Teo Gutierrez Moreno) and Maria (Violeta Palukas)
Charo (Natalia Oreiro), Juan (Teo Gutierrez Moreno) and Horacio (César Troncoso)

Press

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