A Red Bear (film)

Infobox Film
name = Red Bear


image_size =
caption = Theatrical poster
director = Israel Adrián Caetano
producer = Lita Stantic
writer = Screenplay: Israel Adrián Caetano Graciela Speranza Story: Romina Lafranchini
narrator =
starring = Julio Chávez Soledad Villamil Luis Machín Agostina Lage
music = Mariano Barrella Diego Grimblat
cinematography = Willi Behnisch
editing = Santiago Ricci
distributor = Production: Lita Stantic Producciones Distribution: Cinema Tropical
released = Argentina: October 3 2002 United States: January 17 2003
runtime = 95 minutes
country = Argentina France Spain
language = Spanish
budget =
website = http://www.litastantic.com.ar/unosorojo/afiches.htm
amg_id = 1:266088
imdb_id = 0318523|

"Red Bear" ( _es. Un oso rojo) (2002) is an Argentine, Spanish, and French drama film, directed by Israel Adrián Caetano. [ [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0318523/ "A Red Bear"] at the Internet Movie Database.]

The film was produced by Lita Stantic, and the screenplay was written by Caetano and Graciela Speranza, from the story penned by Romina Lafranchini.

The picture features Julio Chávez, Soledad Villamil, Luis Machín, Agostina Lage, among others.

Plot

The film tells the story of Oso (Julio Chávez), who is sent to prison for a robbery and a murder.

After seven years Oso, is released from prison, and we see in flashback the robbery that led to his arrest. His daughter Alicia (Agostina Lage), was a year old on the day of the robbery. As a consequence, Alicia never got a chance to get to know her father, and she grows up resentful.

Oso returns to his hometown, a depressed suburb of Buenos Aires, fully aware that his wife, Natalia (Soledad Villamil), is living with another man, Sergio (Luis Machín).

Yet, Oso is determined to establish a relationship with Alicia, and to collect money owed him by a sleazy crime boss known as the Turk (René Lavand).

In the meantime, the Turk wants Oso to be the getaway driver on one last big job.

For her part, Alicia seems fascinated with her father and makes him promise never to go away again.

Cast

* Julio Chávez as Oso
* Soledad Villamil as Natalia
* Luis Machín as Sergio
* Agostina Lage as Alicia
* Enrique Liporace as Güemes
* René Lavand as Turco
* Daniel Valenzuela as Alfarito
* Freddy Flores as Tuerca

Distribution

The film was first featured at the Cannes Film Festival in May 23, 2002. It opened in Argentina on October 3, 2002, making the picture Caetano's second film that opened in Argentina in 2002 (the last was "Bolivia" in April).

The film was also shown at various film festivals, including: the Gothenburg Film Festival, Sweden; the Havana Film Festival, Cuba; the Latin America Film Festival, Poland; the Lleida Latin-American Film Festival, Spain; the Cartagena Film Festival, Colombia; the Film by the Sea Film Festival, Netherlands; and the Helsinki International Film Festival, Finland.

In the United States, the picture opened at the Sundance Film Festival on January 17, 2003. It also screened at the New Directors/New Films Film Festival, New York in March 2003; and the Milwaukee International Film Festival and Los Angeles in October 2004.

Critical reception

Film critic Neil Young thought the film was an engaging mix of crime thriller and family drama, and wrote, " [The film] is nevertheless an effective, if minor, foray into a dusty, neglected corner of modern-day Buenos Aires. We can feel Argentina's well-documented financial problems starting to sour the whole country's atmosphere, exerting unbearable pressures on the likes of Sergio, Oso and Natalia." Young also though director Caetano elicited solid work from his actors. [ [http://www.jigsawlounge.co.uk/film/redbear.html Young, Neil] . "Jigsaw Lounge," film review from the Edinburgh Film Festival, September 19, 2002.]

A.O. Scott, film critic for "The New York Times," also liked the film and wrote, "Its combination of toughness and smooth, understated style makes it touching and absorbing..." [ [http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=FB0E17FE395D0C728FDDAA0894DB404482 Scott, A.O] . "The New York Times," "Out of Jail, In Search Of Someone To Protect," film review from the New Directors/New Films Film Festival, March 31, 2003.]

And journalist Diego Batlle, who writes for the Spanish daily "La Nación" wrote, "A Red Bear" imposes itself as a piece of great dramatic power that ratifies a prolific director's narrative talent." [ [http://www.lanacion.com.ar/Archivo/Nota.asp?nota_id=436990 Batlle, Diego] . "La Nación," "Logrado western urbano de Caetano," film review, October 3, 2002.es icon]

Awards

Wins
* Argentine Film Critics Association Awards: Silver Condor Award; Best Actor, Julio Chávez; 2003.
* Lleida Latin-American Film Festival: Best Actor, Julio Chávez; 2003.
* Havana Film Festival: Best Music, Diego Grimblat; Special Jury Prize, Adrián Caetano; Special Mention, Lita Stantic; 2002. Nominations
* Cartagena Film Festival: Golden India Catalina; Best Film, Adrián Caetano; 2004.
* Argentine Film Critics Association Awards: Silver Condor Award; Best Actress, Soledad Villamil; Best Art Direction, Graciela Oderigo; Best Cinematography, Willi Behnisch; Best Director, Adrián Caetano; Best Editing, Santiago Ricci; Best Film; Best Music, Diego Grimblat; Best New Actor, René Lavan; Best New Actress, Agostina Lage; Best Original Screenplay, Adrián Caetano and Gabriela Speranza; Best Sound, Marcos De Aguirre; 2003.

References

Notes

External links

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* [http://www.cinenacional.com/peliculas/index.php?pelicula=2414 "Un oso rojo"] at cinenacional.com es icon