Movie Analysis Essay on The Official Story

The Official Story is a Spanish drama historical film produced in Argentina in 1985. The film was directed by Luis Puenzo, produced by Marcelo Piñeyro, and written by Aida Bortnik and Luis Puenzo. The stars are Hector Alterio, Norma Aleandro, Hugo Arana, Guillermo Battaglia, Chela Ruiz, Anibal Morixe, Patricio Contreras, Maria Luisa Robledo, Jorge Petraglia, Analia Castro, and Chunchuna Villafarie. The Official Story is set in Argentina in 1983, during the final year of the military dictatorship in the country. The film depicts the human rights violations and social inequalities that occurred in the post-1983 environment in Argentina.

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The plot revolves around an illegally adopted five-year-old child, Gaby, whose alleged biological mother resurfaces later. The foster parents are Roberto Ibañez, a government official, and Alicia Maquet, a history teacher. Just like other upper-class members, Alicia is unaware of the violence against humanity in Argentina. Alicia laughs when Ana, her friend from Europe, says that government officials ransacked her house. However, she becomes aware of the severity of the situation in Argentina when Ana tells her that she was held captivate, raped, and tortured for living with an allegedly subversive man. Ana says that she saw pregnant women give birth and return without their babies, who were sold to rich people. This revelation makes Alicia increasingly question the origin of Gaby. After an extensive search, Alicia meets Sara, who is possibly Gaby’s biological mother. Roberto is furious after Gaby meets her real family – to the point of assaulting his wife.

The Official Story has static, dynamic, and symbolic characters. Alicia is an example of a dynamic figure; her character continually develops from a believer of guilty people going to prison and no social evil happening in Argentina to seeing the human rights violations occurring in her family and the nation at large. Roberto is a static character who holds to his beliefs and also defends wrongful actions. Ana symbolizes the victims of social inequalities and violence against humanity in Argentina. The actors use the classical technique, whereby emphasis is on the expression of emotion through the voice, body, and personalizing. The film has a general spectrum of colors. Most scenes are shot at eye-level, high, and birds-eye camera angles. The Official Story observed excellent casting choices, quality filming, and production to portray the intended idea effectively.

The main message depicted in The Official Story is some notable individuals (especially those in the government and the rich) felt entitled. At the same time, those unaffected by the crisis in the country were unaware of the inhuman state of affairs. Roberto acted like he owned an illegally obtained child. Similarly, government officials invaded people’s homes and abused them if they believed to be in opposition to the existing political system. Surprisingly, most members of the upper social class were unaware of the situation in their country. Therefore, The Official Story shows that the violence that occurred in 1983 mostly affected needy members of society and those fighting for change.The Official Story depicts the consequences of the socio-political tension that occurred in Argentina in 1983. The plot revolves around an illegally adopted child; additionally, it highlights the evils that happened in the post-1983 environment. While the film is excellently played, filmed, directed, and produced, it should be re-made in English to reach a wider audience.

Work Cited

“The Official Story (1985).” YouTube, www.youtube.com/watch?v=H3I3JKlUMHE