White Elephant (2012) Elefante blanco (original title)

Director:

Pablo Trapero

Writers:

Pablo Trapero
Alejandro Fadel
(more)

Release Date:

17 May 2012 (Argentina)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

While working alongside his long-time friend and colleague in building a hospital for the residents of a Buenos Aries shantytown, a troubled priest finds solace in a young, atheist social worker.

Plot Keywords:

Slum | Social Worker | Priest | Jungle | Faith

Awards:

6 nominations

Cast

Ricardo Darín	...	Julián
Jérémie Renier	...	Nicolás (as Jeremie Renier)
Martina Gusman	...	Luciana
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Miguel Arancibia	...	Capataz
Federico Barga	...	Monito
Esteban Díaz	...	Chato
Pablo Gatti	...	Sandoval
Walter Jakob	...	Cruz
Raul Ramos	...	Obispo
Susana Varela	...	Carmelita
Julio Zarza	...	Danilo

Directed by
Pablo Trapero

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Alejandro Fadel
Martín Mauregui
Santiago Mitre
Pablo Trapero

Produced by
Laurent Baudens	....	co-producer
Rémi Burah	....	co-producer
Alejandro Cacetta	....	executive producer
Alejandro Cacetta	....	producer
Didar Domehri	....	co-producer
Juan Pablo Galli	....	producer
Juan Gordon	....	producer
Juan Lovece	....	line producer
Gaël Nouaille	....	co-producer
Pablo Trapero	....	executive producer
Pablo Trapero	....	producer
Juan Vera	....	producer

Original Music by
Michael Nyman

Cinematography by
Guillermo Nieto

Film Editing by
Andrés P. Estrada
Nacho Ruiz Capillas
Pablo Trapero

Production Design by
Juan Pedro De Gaspar

Art Direction by
Fernando Brun

Costume Design by
Marisa Urruti

Makeup Department
Alberto Moccia	....	key hair stylist
Carolina Oclander	....	makeup artist
Etelvina Veron	....	hair stylist

Production Management
Mayi Gutiérrez Cobo	....	production secretary
Juan Lovece	....	production manager
María Moreno	....	production trainee
Daniel Rutolo	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Marcello Pozzo	....	second assistant director
Fabiana Tiscornia	....	assistant director

Art Department
Antonella Pasini	....	set dresser

Sound Department
Vicente D'Elia	....	sound
Leandro de Loredo	....	supervising sound editor
Federico Esquerro	....	sound re-recording mixer
Carlos Lidón	....	sound
Roberto Migone	....	sound re-recording mixer
Francisco Pedemonte	....	dialogue editor

Visual Effects by
Andrés P. Estrada	....	visual effects artist
Juan Olivares	....	visual effects artist
Tomás Pernich	....	visual effects artist
Alejo Varisto	....	visual effects artist
Iara Rodriguez Vilardebó	....	visual effects artist
Ezequiel Villanueva	....	compositor

Camera and Electrical Department
Fernando Blanc	....	focus puller
Nicolás Mayer	....	steadicam assistant
Darío Trivino	....	steadicam operator

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Nora Lia Alaluf	....	uniform costumer

Editorial Department
Luisa Cavanagh	....	colorist
Tomás Pernich	....	making-of editor

Other crew
Lina Badenes García	....	outreach marketing
Nicolas Agustin Bentancur	....	location assistant
Manuel Fernandez Escudero	....	location assistant
Cristóbal García	....	business affairs
Jacqueline Lustig	....	dialogue coach
Pablo Ramos	....	script supervisor

Thanks
Jean-Pierre Dardenne	....	thanks
Luc Dardenne	....	thanks

Production Companies

• ARTE
• Canal Plus
• Canal+ España
• Full House
• Instituto Nacional de Cine y Artes Audiovisuales (INCAA)
• Instituto de la Cinematografía y de las Artes Audiovisuales (ICAA)
• Matanza Cine
• Morena Films
• Patagonik Film Group
• Televisión Española (TVE)
• Wild Bunch

Distributors

• Ad Vitam Distribution (2013) (France) (theatrical)
• Amstelfilm (2013) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Buena Vista International (2012) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• O'Brother Distribution (2013) (Belgium) (theatrical)
• Strand Releasing (2012) (USA) (theatrical)
• Strand Releasing (2013) (USA) (theatrical)
• Alta Films (2012) (Spain) (all media)
• Blu Shine (2012) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Canibal Networks (2013) (Mexico) (all media)

Also Known As:

"Elefante blanco" - Argentina (original title)

Runtime:

105 min

Country:

Argentina | Spain | France

Language:

Spanish

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Certification:

Netherlands:12 | Argentina:16 | Spain:13 | France:U | USA:Not Rated | Ireland:15A | UK:15

Filming Locations:

Buenos Aires, Federal District, Argentina

Company:

ARTE

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Televisión registrada: Ricardo Darín" (2012)

Soundtrack:

Las cosas que no se tocan

Imperdible pero decepcionado.

Really disappointed me with a very weak argument, it seems that the film tries to portray only what we already know what happens in the villages. Images repetitive, almost exaggerated, about the inhuman conditions in which many people live in our country, make a documentary film class.

Yes, it is impeccable filming, excellent cinematography, setting, and a way to shoot that turn the viewer into another resident of that place. Not so the music I think is another weak point because, beyond the issue of Pity Alvarez with which opens and closes the film, music that is heard is really bad.

But the film fails because it fails to catch a solid script and with characters that are created in such a way to get in your skin. Darin always right but off other papers, it sticks Renier with authority about his character but the most important protagonist of the film seems to be the rain, constant, unbearable, identified as another of the many shrines that these people must suffer, suggests almost as God forgot that part of the world. In short, a movie not to miss, but it is far from being among the best of Trapero, of Darin, of the year of our cinema.