Silvia Prieto (1999)

User Rating:

6.1/10   

Director:

Martín Rejtman

Writer:

Martín Rejtman (writer)

Release Date:

27 May 1999 (Argentina)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Awards:

1 win & 2 nominations

Cast

Marta Albertinazzi	...	Mujer del baño 3
María Fernanda Aldana	...	Cantante del grupo
Daniel Barone
Valeria Bertuccelli	...	Brite
Cecilia Biagini
Rosario Blefari	...	Silvia Prieto
Mirta Busnelli	...	Silvia Prieto 2
Guillermina Casey	...	Promotora de la pizzería 1
Pablo Córdoba	...	Repartidor del supermercado
Gabriel Correa	...	Devi
Daniela Cugliandolo	...	Promotora de la pizzería 2
Marta Espezel	...	Madre del adolescente
Bernardino R. Fernández	...	Dueño del bar
Alejandro Hartman	...	Invitado del casamiento 1
Luis Mancini	...	Garbuglia
Ana Mignone	...	Chica del tren
Samuel Oliva	...	Invitado del casamiento 2
Susana Pampin	...	Martha
Marta Parga	...	Mujer del baño 2
Santiago Parra	...	Adolescente
Valeria Paván	...	Mujer del baño 1
Mario Rubinacchi	...	Italiano
Abain Vain	...	Walter (as Abian Vain)
Daniel Valdez	...	Policía
Vicentico	...	Gabriel Rossi
Vanessa Weinberg	...	Vendedora de perfumería (as Vanesa Weinberg)
Marcelo Zanelli	...	Marcelo

Also Known As:

Silvia Prieto (International: English title)

Runtime:

USA:92 min

Country:

Argentina

Language:

Spanish

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Certification:

Argentina:13 | Chile:14 | USA:R | France:U | Germany:6

Filming Locations:

Buenos Aires, Federal District, Argentina

What's in a name?

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

Silvia Prieto decides to change her life when she turns 27. She will start working as a waitress in a cafe, stop smoking marijuana and will buy a canary that really sings. She is determined to succeed. When her former husband Marcelo comes to see her, he hands her over a thousand dollars so that she can get by while she puts her life together. Silvia doesn't do things halfway. When she cooks chicken, she prepares at least four birds that she cuts into neat pieces and offer them to whoever happens to be near.

Marcelo runs into Brite, a pretty young woman seen at a corner distributing samples of detergent that also bears her name. When he asks for more than what she has given him already, she tells him she can't give him anymore. Marcelo, obviously feels attracted to her from the start.

When Silvia decides to take a week-end in Mar del Plata, she takes her canary. We see her sitting in an outdoor cafe. When an Italian tourist passes her table, he likes what he sees, so he decides to take a chance and sits next to her. It's windy, so he offers her his jacket, not before specifying it's an Armani. When she asks him for a cigarette, he offers to go and get some, and Silvia goes away with the man's jacket.

A few days later, Gabriel, an old school mate of Marcelo appears on the scene. He is an aspiring poet. Silvia offers him the Armani jacket, which in turn, he sells it to Marcelo. One day Silvia receives a strange phone call from the Italian tourist, who remembered her name and tells her there were only two Silvia Prietos in the phone book. This intrigues Silvia, who immediately calls the other, and she is not too nice to the woman. They eventually meet, but they have little in common.

This surprising film from Argentina deals with the new class of people living in the country. Martin Reijtman, the writer/director shows a talent for capturing the everyday situations in the film with perfect pitch. These people are not rich and they all are struggling to make ends meet in a tough economy. "Silvia Prieto" surprises in the way Mr. Reitjman incorporates the present situation of the country in the middle of everything.

The acting is good, in general. The ensemble cast of mainly young people gives us an impression they are these characters they are portraying. Liked Rosario Blefari, in the title role and Valeria Bertuccelli as Brita.

The film was presented by CUNY in their Cinematheque program. It shows a promising director, Martin Reijtman in a surprising movie that deals with all these disfranchised people living in the great city of Buenos Aries.

The film ends as several women, all Silvia Prieto, meet at the home of one of them to see what they have in common. We advise the viewer to stay tuned up to the end of the credits to see these women's view on their lives and society.