The Holy Girl (2004) La niña santa (original title)

Director:

Lucrecia Martel

Writers:

Lucrecia Martel (written by)
Juan Pablo Domenech (contributing writer)

Release Date:

6 May 2004 (Argentina)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

16-year-old Amalia looks to save the soul a middle-aged doctor.

Plot Keywords:

Hotel | Teen | Doctor | 16 Year Old | Mother Daughter Relationship

Awards:

3 wins & 6 nominations

Cast

Mercedes Morán	...	Helena
Carlos Belloso	...	Dr. Jano
Alejandro Urdapilleta	...	Freddy
María Alche	...	Amalia
Julieta Zylberberg	...	Josefina
Mía Maestro	...	Inés
Marta Lubos	...	Mirta
Arturo Goetz	...	Dr. Vesalio
Alejo Mango	...	Dr. Cuesta
Mónica Villa	...	Madre de Josefina
Leandro Stivelman	...	Julian
Manuel Schaller	...	Thermin player
Miriam Diaz	...	Miriam
Rodolfo Cejas	...	Josefina's father
Maria Victoria Mosca Coll	...	Local girl
Ornella Velazco	...	Local girl
Guadalupe Pardo Hernandez	...	Local girl
Ana Carolina Beltran	...	Local girl
Rodolfo Cabrera	...	Manuel the plumber
Maria Susana Falcon	...	Josefina's aunt
Guillermo Enrique Castro	...	Lad in accident
Victor Anuch	...	Juan Pablo
Sebastian Diaz Sabala	...	Juan Pablo's friend
Maria Micol Ellero	...	Josefina's sister
Sebastián Montagna	...	Josefina's brother
Maria Emilia Martinez	...	Josefina's sister
Guido Nunez	...	Medical consultant
Nilda Silvia Suarez	...	Photocopier woman
Ana Maria Fernandez	...	Jano's wife
Carlos Silvio Poma	...	Dr. Lara
Eduardo Jesus Chaig	...	Doctor
Juan Solis	...	Doctor
Roberto Bernacki	...	Doctor
Oscar Victoriano Sarmiento	...	Doctor
David Daniel Torino	...	Doctor
Eliana Santillan	...	Servant
Alejandro Leonidas Diaz	...	Pool worker
Florinda Rosa Guamante	...	Caretaker
David Mansilla	...	Hotel porter
Pablo Arias	...	Hotel porter
Marcos Reynoso	...	Phone assistant

Directed by
Lucrecia Martel

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Juan Pablo Domenech		contributing writer
Lucrecia Martel		written by

Produced by
Agustín Almodóvar	....	co-producer: El Deseo S.A.
Pedro Almodóvar	....	executive producer
Tilde Corsi	....	associate producer
Esther García	....	executive producer
Alfredo Ghirardo	....	co-producer
Nora Kohen	....	co-producer
Cesare Petrillo	....	associate producer
Vieri Razzini	....	associate producer
Gianni Romoli	....	associate producer
Lita Stantic	....	producer
Álvaro Urtizberea	....	co-producer

Original Music by
Andres Gerszenzon

Cinematography by
Félix Monti

Film Editing by
Santiago Ricci

Casting by
Nicolas Levin
Natalia Smirnoff

Art Direction by
Graciela Oderigo

Set Decoration by
Fernando Brun

Costume Design by
Julio Suárez

Makeup Department
Marisa Amenta	....	makeup artist
Marcelo Iúdice	....	hair stylist
Etelvina Veron	....	hair stylist

Production Management
Matías Mosteirín	....	production director
Marta Parga	....	production manager
Marta Parga	....	production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Florencia Blanco	....	assistant director
Natalia Smirnoff	....	assistant director
Fabiana Tiscornia	....	assistant director

Art Department
Angélica Alvear	....	set dresser
Martín Libert	....	property master

Sound Department
Guido Berenblum	....	sound
Marcos De Aguirre	....	sound
Roberto Espinoza	....	foley artist
David Miranda	....	sound
Victor Alejandro Tendler	....	sound

Visual Effects by
Sergio Rentero	....	visual effects supervisor
Rodrigo S. Tomasso	....	digital restoration (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Luisa Cavanagh	....	video assist
Lucas Guidalevich	....	film recorder operator: Cineon
Daniel Hermo	....	gaffer
Manuel Rebella	....	electrician
Victor Vasini	....	film recorder operator: Cineon

Other crew
Gustavo Guido	....	production assistant
Carola Jalife	....	continuity

Production Companies

• La Pasionaria S.r.l.
• R&C Produzioni
• Teodora Film
• El Deseo S.A.
• Fondazione Montecinemaverita
• Hubert Bals Fund
• Lita Stantic Producciones

Distributors

• Alfa Films (2004) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• Cinemien (2005) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Fine Line Features (2005) (USA) (theatrical) (subtitled)
• HBO Films (2004) (USA) (theatrical) (subtitled)
• Monopole-Pathé (2005) (Switzerland) (theatrical)
• Pyramide Distribution (2004) (France) (theatrical)
• Stadtkino Verleih (2005) (Austria) (theatrical)
• Artificial Eye (2005) (UK) (all media)
• Cecchi Gori Group (2004) (Italy) (all media)
• Homescreen (2006) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Transeuropa Video Entertainment (TVE) (2004) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Transeuropa Video Entertainment (TVE) (2004) (Argentina) (VHS)

Also Known As:

"La niña santa" - Argentina (original title)

MPAA:

Rated R for some sexual content and brief nudity

Runtime:

106 min

Country:

Argentina | Italy | Netherlands | Spain

Language:

Spanish

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Netherlands:12 | Austria:12 | Belgium:KT | Canada:PG | Italy:T | USA:R (certificate #41466) | Spain:13 | Ireland:15A | Argentina:13 | Switzerland:14 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:14 (canton of Vaud) | France:U | UK:15 | Brazil:14

Filming Locations:

Salta, Argentina

Company:

La Pasionaria S.r.l.

Soundtrack:

Cara de Gitana

Awakenings

Lucrecia Martel, the director of "The Holy Girl" gives us an erotically charged account of a young woman's awakening to a world that she seems not to be ready for. Ms. Martel combines a mixture of religion and eroticism in the narrative of the film. As always, the director gathers an interesting cast to tell her story.

It's interesting to read some of the negative comments to this forum. Most perceive the film as boring and slow. In fact, the film is far from that, and it was surprising to see the movie the other day at the Lincoln Plaza complex with a theater half full and nobody walked out of the film, something that we have witnessed viewers to do with other, more acclaimed features.

Ms. Martel takes us to a remote spot in Northern Argentina, an improbable place for holding a medical convention. At the same time, the director, in an interview we read, tells about how the location, which she knew from having been as a guest, made an impression on her and she based her story at the hotel.

Amalia is a young girl that is just awakening to a sexuality that goes against her upbringing. We see her surrounded by her school mates and the loyal Josefina, her best friend. Ines, who seems older, leads the group in prayer, perhaps to get the young women's mind into their latent sexual awakenings. Amalia lives in the hotel with her mother, an attractive woman who seems to be oblivious to what's going on with her daughter. In fact, one gets the impression the mother enjoys whatever sex she gets to the fullest.

Enter the roguish Dr. Jano. He is on his own, attending the medical conference, although he is married and has about four children. When Dr. Jano goes into town he spots a group watching a street performance and immediately gravitates toward the beautiful young woman he sees as someone he can casually rub himself against the girl without attracting attention. Amalia realizes what's going on and starts following this enigmatic man, who proves to be elusive in the open. He is more of a voyeur rather than a man that would lead Amalia into an open sexual encounter. Everything is done in a subtle way, which in a way works better because of the shock it provokes on the viewer. In a way, Ms. Martel makes us voyeurs because through her camera, she makes us watch what Dr. Jano is doing to Amalia.

The acting Ms. Martel got from the principals is amazing. Maria Alche is a girl of great beauty. She is an intense young woman who fits perfectly in the story. The other good performance comes from Carlos Belloso. His Dr. Jano is an enigma as we watch him. In a way it shows this man as a duplicitous person who being married, will go and try to get his thrills in dark places, probably sitting next to unsuspecting young women in movies, or wherever he can be aroused without being obvious. Mia Maestro is Ines, the pious woman who is seen giving religious instruction to the girls. Julieta Zyberberg is good as Josefina and Mercedes Moran also has great moments as Helena.

This is a disturbing film, but one that dares to speak of things that other film makers avoid. Ms. Martel shows she is a director that doesn't mind taking chances.