Las Acacias (film)

Las Acacias is a 2011 Argentine drama film directed by Pablo Giorgelli. The film won the Caméra d'Or at the 2011 Cannes Film Festival.

Las Acacias
Film poster
Directed byPablo Giorgelli
Produced byVeronica Cura
Ariel Rotter
Alex Zito
Pablo Giorgelli
Eduardo Carneros
Esteban Ibarrexte
Written byPablo Giorgelli
Salvador Roselli
StarringGermán de Silva
Hebe Duarte
CinematographyDiego Poleri
Edited byMaria Astrauskas
Release date
  • 13 May 2011 (2011-05-13) (Cannes)
  • 24 November 2011 (2011-11-24) (Argentina)
Running time
96 minutes[1]
CountryArgentina
LanguageSpanish

Plot

Rubén is a middle-aged Argentinian truck driver transporting timber between Paraguay and Buenos Aires, Argentina. One day, at a truck stop, he picks up a young Paraguayan woman, Jacinta, whom his employer had told to take to Buenos Aires. To Rubén's surprise, Jacinta brings along her five-month-old daughter, Anahí.

Rubén makes little conversation at the start of the journey. At a border crossing, Jacinta tells the guard she is visiting her cousin on a three-month visa, though she later explains to Rubén her cousin will help her find a job in Buenos Aires. Soon Jacinta's baby needs feeding and they pull over at a truck stop. Rubén considers buying a bus ticket for Jacinta, but changes his mind after learning the next bus is not until tomorrow. They continue their journey on through the night. When Rubén nearly falls asleep at the wheel, Jacinta suggests they should pull over for the night to rest.

The next day, Rubén stops at a small town to visit his sister and give her a belated birthday present. The sister is not home, but Jacinta states she is not in a hurry, so they spend a few hours by a nearby lake. They return to Rubén's sister house, where Rubén gives his sibling his present, and they continue with the drive to Buenos Aires. When they get there, Rubén's drops Jacinta off at her cousin's house. She is met by several relatives who are happy to see her and Anahí.

Giving his goodbyes, Rubén suggests Jacinta join him on his next trip the following week, and she agrees.

Cast
  • Germán de Silva as Rubén
  • Hebe Duarte as Jacinta
  • Nayra Calle Mamani as Anahí

Reception

The film received a 75 percent positive rating on the film-critics aggregate site Rotten Tomatoes, based on 12 review with an average rating of 7/10, following its US release on 7 September 2012.[2]

Variety, reviewing the film in 2011 at the Cannes Film Festival, called it a "[d]elicate yet rigorously executed", and said the film represented "a master class in low-key but wholly effective [acting], as characters played by German De Silva and Hebe Duarte get to know each other via dialogue that would barely cover 20 written pages. Slow-burning pic takes a while to warm up, but once it gets going, it's a corker that could enchant as an ultra-niche release...."[1] Jeannette Catsoulis of The New York Times said, "The very definition of modest, Las Acacias articulates emotional transformation with simplicity and grace. Rarely has a film managed to say so much while saying so little."[3] In the UK, critic Peter Bradshaw of The Guardian said the film "unfolds almost wordlessly, but very eloquently, and the unforced performances of its two leads make it absolutely beguiling."[4] However, Keith Uhlich of Time Out New York, while giving it three of five stars, called the film "charming yet slight" and that it "at worst, comes off as more piddling romantic comedy than penetrating character study."[5]

Awards

The film won the Caméra d'Or at the 2011 Cannes Film Festival[6][7] and the Silver Condor for Best Film at the Argentinean Film Critics Association Awards.[8]

Awards/Festival Category Winner/Nominee Won
Argentinean Film Critics Association Awards[8] Silver Condor – Best Film Pablo Giorgelli Yes
Silver Condor – Best Editing María Astrauskas Yes
Silver Condor – Best Cinematography Diego Poleri No
Silver Condor – Best Director Pablo Giorgelli No
Silver Condor – Best First Film Pablo Giorgelli No
Silver Condor – Best New Actor Germán de Silva No
Silver Condor – Best New Actress Hebe Duarte No
Silver Condor – Best Screenplay Pablo Giorgelli, Salvador Roselli No
Silver Condor – Best Sound Martin Litmanovich No
Bratislava International Film Festival[9] Grand Prix Pablo Giorgelli Yes
FIPRESCI Prize Pablo Giorgelli Yes
Cannes Film Festival[6][10] Caméra d'Or Pablo Giorgelli Yes
ACID Award Pablo Giorgelli Yes
Young Critics Award Pablo Giorgelli Yes
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References
  1. Felperin, Leslie (14 May 2011). "Las acacias (Argentina-Spain)". Archived from the original on 9 September 2012. Retrieved 9 September 2012.
  2. Las Acacias at Rotten Tomatoes
  3. Catsoulis, Jeannette (7 September 2012). "Softening a Trucker's Rough Edges: 'Las Acacias,' Directed by Pablo Giorgelli". The New York Times. p. C8. Retrieved 9 September 2012.
  4. Bradshaw, Peter (2 December 2011). "Las Acacias – review". The Guardian. Retrieved 9 September 2012.
  5. Uhlich, Keith (4 September 2012). "Las Acacias". Time Out New York. Retrieved 9 September 2012.
  6. Bogert, Aaron (16 March 2012). "Outsider Pictures Picks Up Las Acacias". Indiewire.com. Retrieved 7 April 2012.
  7. Smith, Ian Hayden (2012). International Film Guide 2012. p. 57. ISBN 978-1908215017.
  8. "Las Acacias Tops Argentina's Silver Condor Awards". cinematropical.com. 12 June 2012. Retrieved 29 September 2012.
  9. "Las Acacias Collects Grand Prize at IFF Bratislava". Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 29 September 2012.
  10. "Las Acacias". mfah.org. Archived from the original on 30 June 2012. Retrieved 29 September 2012.
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