Anina (2013)

A fantastical journey into the world of a ten-year-old girl who, following a playground skirmish, is given the weirdest punishment in the history of weird punishments.

Director:

Alfredo Soderguit

Writers:

Federico Ivanier (adaptation), Sergio López Suárez (novel)

Stars:

Federica Lacaño, María Mendive, César Troncoso

1 win & 5 nominations.

Cast

Credited cast:
Federica Lacaño	...	Anina
María Mendive	...	Madre de Anina
César Troncoso	...	Padre de Anina
Cristina Morán	...	Directora
Petru Valenski	...	Tota
Roberto Suárez	...	Pocha
Gimena Fajardo	...	Maestra Agueda
Florencia Zabaleta	...	Maestra Aurora
Guillermina Pardo	...	Florencia
Lucía Parrilla	...	Yisel
Marcel Keoroglian	...	César
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Pedro Cruz	...	Yonatan
Ana González	...	Abuela de Anina
Jhonny Hendrix	...	Perianto
Edgar Pedraza	...	Flogisto Rolando

Storyline

Anina Yatay Salas is a ten-year-old girl who does not like her name. Each part is a palindrome, which means it reads the same both forwards and backwards. Her schoolmates are always teasing her about this, especially Anina's arch-enemy Yisel, who Anina sees as an "elephant". One day, Anina and Yisel get into a playground skirmish, so the school principal disciplines them with a weird punishment: they are both given a sealed black envelope which they are not allowed to open for an entire week. Haunted by nightmares and day-dreams, Anina in her anxiousness to find out what horrible punishment awaits her, will get mixed up in a series of adventures, involving secret loves, close friendships and dreadful enemies. Without her realizing it, Anina's efforts to understand the content of the envelope turns into a journey to understand the world and her place in it.

---

Plot Keywords:

character name as title | film within a film | punishment | envelope | nightmare | 

---

Taglines:

La única niña capicúa que jamás hubo en una escuela. (There has never been a palindrome girl at the school before.)

---

Genres:

Animation | Adventure | Family

---

Certificate:

Not Rated

Did You Know?

Trivia

Official submission of Uruguay to the Oscars 2014 best foreign language film category.

User Reviews

We make mistakes, but we learn something out of it, that's what school is for to teach us.

A little sweet animation from South America. The official entry from Uruguay for the best foreign language film at the 2014 Oscars, but did not make into the final. This is the story of a little school girl, Anina, followed by a fight she has got into, as a punishment she and the other girl gets each a sealed letter from the school principal to safeguard until the further notice. Through those days what she learns and how it comes to end leads to the final segment of the story.

Well intended story, but a bit lacks the cheerfulness. I mean in some parts it falls short in development and keeps it dull mood. Especially in the early mid parts, but later on till the conclusion, it's got a better. Visually, its stunning on its own way, surely an impressive animation, but overall film was short as 80 minutes. Adapted from a children's novel and beautifully made.

For me, I think they should have been a bit careful. There's nothing problem in the story, sketches or in the pace, but the overall flow was not sparkling enough like those Hollywood counterparts. Other than those tiny stumbles, this is a fine animation, especially being a non North America, Europe and Japan product. Not a must see, but I don't find any strong reason to skip it, particularly for the animation fans.

6.5/10

Details

Official Sites:

Official site [Uruguay]

Country:

Uruguay Colombia

Language:

Spanish

Release Date:

19 April 2013 (Uruguay)

Also Known As:

Το κορίτσι με το παράξενο όνομα

Box Office

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$169,159

Company Credits

Production Co:

Rain Dogs Cine, Palermo Estudio, Antorcha Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

80 min

Color:

Color