Film Review: "The Official Story"
The film "The Official Story" directed by Luis Puenzo in 1985 depicts the turmoil and disbelief caused by Argentina's "Dirty War". Puenzo centers the film around Alicia, the mother of a thought to be adopted child, who teaches history at a high school. When Alicia's friend Ana returns some time later after mysteriously disappearing Alicia finds out the real truth behind her disappearance. Ana tells Alicia that she was taken away one night by the military-Argentina was under a military dictatorship during this time-to a place where she was beaten and possibly raped. Alicia was taken back by what Ana said and could not believe that this was possible. This news strikes right at home for Alicia when she realizes that her daughter's birth mother may have had a similar experience and motivates Alicia to find out what happened to her daughter's birth mother.
Map Argentina. Zonificación Militar de 1975-1983
alicia
Alicia or Rebecca?From 1976 to 1983, Argentina, like many times before in Latin America, was under a military dictatorship. This time period was called the "Dirty War", deemed so because the military regime was only concerned about maintaining its power at any cost. To do so the military would eradicate any opposition to their regime. This meant that thousands of people, activists, young men, women and especially liberal students were taking away to be tortured and or killed to silence their opposition.
The film illustrates the general consensus of Argentineans during this period which was the belief that the military did not really do these horrible things discussed earlier because none of the military's actions were recorded as doing so. Puenzo made the point in his film that Argentineans really did not know the truth behind the military's actions because it was never made public and people were led...