
ArgentinedirectorAgustinaPérezRial’sdebutfeature-lengthfilmaboutthenintheditionoftheInternationalFilmFestivalinhernativecityofMardelPlatafrom1968seemstofindanuncommonlybalancedsolutiontotheprimaldilemmaofdocumentarystorytelling.Inanimpressivelybrilliantmontageofarchivematerial,astoryisconstructedwhich,accordingtothedirectorherself,isnotnecessarilytrue,butrealistic.<br/> Historicalblackandwhitephotosofcaptivatingbeauty,filmfootagefromvarioussourcesanddocumentsfromthenowopenarchivesofthesurveillanceauthoritiesofthetimearecounteractedbyasupposedwitnessreport–defactoafemalevoicefromoffscreen.PérezRialisinsubtleandintelligentcontrolofhercinematictools,pullingoutallthestops:documentaryandfiction,historicalandcontemporary,aesthetic,triviaandanecdotes.Ontheonehand,themeticulouslyresearchedfactsunearthaforgottenmicrofacetoftheColdWar,completewithmilitarisation,persecutionandparanoia.Ontheotherhand,theyshowafilmfestivalasanodeofideologiesanddescribeitasahighlypoliticisedplace.Thisopensunexpectedspacesofreflectionfortheroleassignedtosuchaculturalevent–historicalorcurrent.