My days in the Tiff
Without a doubt it was a wonderful experience, the moments I spent on the TIFF.
My focus was more on watching movies and if I had the possibility I talked to the
director or producer of the film.
It was very difficult to attend a red carpet, sometimes invitations did not arrive on
time, and when I wanted to register I could no longer, in my opinion, I think that is
an area that would have to be changed in the future.
I could be on the street, taking pictures and if I saw a producer or director, I asked
him to take a picture with him, which they agreed very kindly
As I specified above, I focused more on the movies, I could see, the Argentine film
“EL SUPLENTE”, directed by the director, Diego Lerman, starring Juan Minujin and
Barbara Lennie, Alfredo Castro.
An excellent drama that tells us the life of Lucio a professor of Letters of a
prestigious University of Buenos Aires, academic life no longer motivates him, he
wants to take his knowledge where he can make a difference, he teaches
literature in a marginal area of the Buenos Aires cone. Lucio has to show how he
carries out his classes and at the same time crosses all kinds of moral limits and
social prejudices to try to save his favorite student, who is persecuted by a group
of narcos in search of revenge.
While it is true that it is a very real drama, at the same time it is similar to the
drama that came out in 1995, “Dangerous Minds”, with Michelle Pfeiffer.
The theaters where “El Suplente” was passed, were wonderful, schedule on time,
and the attention spectacular, everything was very well organized.
My second film that I could see, was the controversial film “Argentina 1985”, I say
controversial, because everyone has their own opinion about that time that was
lived in Argentina in those years.
A historical drama lived in Argentina, played by Ricardo Darin, Peter Lanzani, and
a cast of actors and actresses recognized in Argentina.
The film is based on the true story of prosecutor Julio Strassera and his deputy
Luis Moreno Ocampo.
The story goes that in 1985, two prosecutors begin to investigate and judge the
leader of the last Argentine military dictatorship.
In the film Strassera and Ocampo, they face the influence of political and military
pressures and assemble a legal team of novice lawyers to conduct the juntas’ trial.
As I said, it should be noted that within Argentina there is a part that does not
agree with the way the film is made, the great recognized actor Luis Brandoni
expresses himself as follows from the film:
The actor Luis Brandoni joined the personalities who had some reservations about
the film directed by Santiago Mitre, Argentina, 1985 and although he stressed
that it is of utmost importance at this time, he said that important data were
omitted. “It’s very serious,” he said in El Diario de Leuco on LN+. 1
There are many conflicting opinions about that film, in my particular case for me
it was very emotional.
The dark age of Argentina of the military dictatorship begins from the years 1976
onwards, that is where the emigration of Argentines to Canada begins, and it is in
that group and in those years, that my parents decide to emigrate to Toronto
when I was a little girl entering adolescence.
For that reason the film was emotional for me and for many who were that day in
the TIFF theaters, watching the film.
Tears on the faces of those present, many perhaps remembering everything they
lived, and in my case remembering everything my parents told me they went
through in those difficult years for Argentina.
1 Luis Brandoni también criticó a Argentina 1985 y habló de un olvido del guion “inconcebible” – LA NACION
One of the things that was seen from the TIFF, was that one online wanted to get
the ticket, and said it was sold, went in person, and they sold the tickets, the day I
went it was said that everything was sold, and when I arrived at the theater half
was empty, I think that’s something in my opinion, that must be taken into
consideration when buying tickets, either online or in person.
The cinema although small, very well organized when entering, and looking for
your seat.
A wonderful experience, having shared and put in my networks what was
happening in TIFF, my focus more to the Latino community, we look forward once
again to the TIFF in 2023.
Norma Alicia Chaupiz
