El baño del Papa (2007)

A small South American village is in a flurry over the Pope's 1988 visit.

Directors:

César Charlone, Enrique Fernández

Writers:

César Charlone, Enrique Fernández

Stars:

César Troncoso, Virginia Méndez, Mario Silva

12 wins & 8 nominations.

Cast

Credited cast:
César Troncoso	...	Beto
Virginia Méndez	...	Carmen
Mario Silva	...	Valvulina
Virginia Ruiz	...	Silvia
Nelson Lence	...	Meleyo
Henry De Leon	...	Nacente
Jose Arce	...	Tica
Rosario Dos Santos	...	Teresa
Hugo Blandamuro	...	Tartamudo
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Andrea Alvarez	...	Esposa
Wilson Alvez	...	Tomasito
Carlos Andrade
Brandon Antuna	...	Nino
Baltasar Burgos	...	Capitan Alvarez
Yonatan Da Silva	...	Liccal

Storyline

In Melo, a poor Uruguayan country village near the Brazilian border, several men earn their living from contraband, mostly transported on bicycles. One of them, Beto, is getting too old for heavy freights but hopes to earn a motorbike. The idea is to build and charge money for the use of a proper lavatory at the occasion of the first-ever papal visit to Uruguay, as His Holiness is expected to pass trough Melo where he may be cheered by hordes of Catholic Brazilians.

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Plot Keywords:

contraband | uruguay | pope | bicycle | in law | 

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama

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Details

Official Sites:

Official site Pierre Grise [France]

Country:

Uruguay Brazil France

Language:

Spanish Portuguese

Release Date:

8 April 2009 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Pope's Toilet

Filming Locations:

Acegua, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

Company Credits

Production Co:

Chaya Films, Laroux-Ciné, O2 Filmes

Technical Specs

Runtime:

90 min 97 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Uruguay's Official Submission to the Best Foreign Language Film Category of the 80th Annual Academy Awards (2008).

User Reviews

In same league as the last few excellent films from Uruguay

Excellent actors achieve a perfect description of how people live, work and feel in the Uruguayan towns bordering Brazil. They need very few quick words to tell you everything about the characters they represent.

In spite of all their problems it still sends a very positive message about the efforts of this family to stay together. They are really concerned about the future of their daughter. Both parents go to extremes for the well being of their small family.

The expressions of the silent face of the daughter tell you everything in her mind.

It is a very sad subject but very well treated with delicate touches of humor.

A bit too slow for today's viewer accustomed to fast action but, still an excellent movie.

Maybe not as good as "Whisky" but in the same league of the several Uruguayan movies we have seen lately. Quite different but as good as "El viaje hacia el Mar".

It is a film that leaves the viewer looking for hidden and not so hidden messages from its creators.

It shows very clearly and graphically the contrast between the opulence of the trip of the Pope and his multiple assistants and the local poverty.

The close-ups of the pope mobile stress the two different worlds; the Pope's and the people's.

Is that a message to the church asking for a modernization of their public relations strategy?

The TV reporter has no problem broadcasting news he has not confirmed. He talks about a long line of buses waiting to cross the borderline from Brazil, filled with visitors raising the expectations of the viewers.

The many interviews with people who are planning to profit from the Pope's visit feed the hopes of many others without any real basis.

Is that a message to the media, asking for more ethical reporting?