Eduardo Pavlovsky
Fernando E. Solanas directed this Argentine-French-Italian-German drama with allegorical reflections of Argentina's past history. The film is divided into four chapters ("The Mirror," "The Waiting Men," "Oblivion," "Howls") with subchapters ("Punishments," "Rewards," "Obstinacy"). A black cloud brings 1600 days of rain to Buenos Aires, while traffic and pedestrians move backwards. Aging actor Max (Eduardo Pavlovsky) runs the Mirror Theater in a former fish market, but lack of funding means a possible demolition. Max is attracted to Brazilian dancer Fulo (Angela Correa), who worries about her daughter back home. Amid political corruption and police brutality, Max's elderly colleague Enrique leads a protest for unpaid old-age pensions. The pensioners succeed in their demands, only to learn from a government official that no money is available to pay them.
A boxer and a singer are hired by the Armed Forces to entertain the people of a small town. When their personalities and principles get them in trouble with the authorities, they support each other as they face their destiny.
A once prominent family fight each other over the inheritance of a run down mansion. Motivated by individual greed, they turn on one another until they unite to subdue a stranger prone to violence. Outwardly the family retains respectability and their name is not sullied, but irreparable harm is done to the unit and mutual trust is shattered in the wake of the events that transpire.
