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The Official Story (1985)

The Official Story (1985)
Member Rating:  
This is an emotionally gripping, fictional look at a couple torn apart by the infamous Argentine campaign of killings and torture that sent thousands of accused terrorists to unmarked graves in the mid-and late-'70s. Alicia (Norma Aleandro) and Roberto (Hector Alterio) adopted a little girl (Analia Castro) during this period of governmental terror in Argentina. Alicia has always wondered about the parents of their little girl, a topic her husband has forced her into forgetting as a condition of the adoption -- he alone knows the full story. Thanks to censorship, Alicia -- like others -- is not fully aware of how much killing has gone on until her students at school start complaining that their textbook histories were written by murderers. Add to this a long conversation with a friend who had been in exile after she was tortured by the government, and Alicia starts to do some serious political and personal research on her own. The results reveal the identity of the little girl's dead parents and reveal that Alicia's husband has had a nasty hand in the government repression and dirty dealings with foreign businesses. She also learns the identity of the girl's grandmother. Her next decision will determine what to do with this information. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, Rovi

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Starring:
Héctor AlterioNorma Aleandro, (more)
Director(s):
Luis Puenzo
Theatrical MPAA Rating:
R
Format(s):
DVD
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Synopsis of The Official Story

This is an emotionally gripping, fictional look at a couple torn apart by the infamous Argentine campaign of killings and torture that sent thousands of accused terrorists to unmarked graves in the mid-and late-'70s. Alicia (Norma Aleandro) and Roberto (Hector Alterio) adopted a little girl (Analia Castro) during this period of governmental terror in Argentina. Alicia has always wondered about the parents of their little girl, a topic her husband has forced her into forgetting as a condition of the adoption -- he alone knows the full story. Thanks to censorship, Alicia -- like others -- is not fully aware of how much killing has gone on until her students at school start complaining that their textbook histories were written by murderers. Add to this a long conversation with a friend who had been in exile after she was tortured by the government, and Alicia starts to do some serious political and personal research on her own. The results reveal the identity of the little girl's dead parents and reveal that Alicia's husband has had a nasty hand in the government repression and dirty dealings with foreign businesses. She also learns the identity of the girl's grandmother. Her next decision will determine what to do with this information. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, Rovi

Theatrical Feature Running Time:
114 mins

Complete Cast of The Official Story


Director(s):
Luis Puenzo
Writer(s):
Luis PuenzoAida Bortnik
Producer(s):
Marcelo Piñeyro
Theatrical MPAA Rating:
R(Adult Situations, Adult Language, Not For Children, Violence)
The Official Story Awards:
  • 1985 - Cannes Film Festival - Best Actress
  • 1985 - Golden Globe - Best Foreign Language Film
  • 1985 - Hollywood Foreign Press Association - Best Foreign Language Film
  • 1985 - Los Angeles Film Critics Association - Best Foreign Film
  • 1985 - New York Film Critics Circle - Best Actress
Warning:  This product is intended for mature audiences only. It may contain violence, sexual content, drug abuse and/or strong language. You must be 17 or older to purchase it. By ordering this item you are certifying that you are at least 17 years of age.

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    Member Reviews
     
    Michelle G.

    The wife of a military official longs for a child. When her husband surprises her with a baby but explains that she can ask no questions, the wife does everything she can to move on, but finally has to face reality and investigate the secrets of her baby's true family. Fantastic movie - based on true issues that happened in Latin America.

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    Dean K.

    One way to effectively depict the horrors of a large scale crime against humanity is to present its impact on a few associated people. This personalizes the evil's impact. Something was missing from this film. The story line was solid. It seemed very well acted. And yet ... Maybe it was the subtitling. Maybe it was the lack of us being shown the extent of the violence perpetrated against the voices of protest. It was presupposed that we knew the extent of the government's contempt for human rights to somehow fully appreciate the film. I did, and the film still did not grip me like the film makers would have wanted. Still worth the view.

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    James T.

    movie would not play

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