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Un oso rojo
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Wikipedia article
{{Infobox film
| name = Un oso rojo
| image = Osorojoposter.jpg
| caption = Theatrical release poster
| alt =
| director = Israel Adrin Caetano
| producer = Lita Stantic
| screenplay = Israel Adrin Caetano
Graciela Speranza
| story = Romina Lafranchini
| starring = Julio Chvez
Soledad Villamil
Luis Machn
Agostina Lage
| music = Mariano Barrella
Diego Grimblat
| cinematography = Willi Behnisch
| editing = Santiago Ricci
| studio = Lita Stantic Producciones
| distributor =
| released =
| runtime = 95 minutes
| country = Argentina
France
Spain
| language = Spanish
| budget =
}}
'Un oso rojo' ("Red Bear" or "A Red Bear") is a 2002 Argentine, Spanish, and French neo-Western action drama film directed by Israel Adrin Caetano.
The film was produced by Lita Stantic, and the screenplay was written by Caetano and Graciela Speranza, from the story penned by Romina Lafranchini. The picture features Julio Chvez, Soledad Villamil, Luis Machn, and Agostina Lage, among others.
Plot
Oso (Julio Chvez) is sent to prison for a robbery and a murder. After seven years, he is released from prison, and in a flashback, the robbery is seen that led to his arrest. His daughter, Alicia (Agostina Lage), was a year old on the day of the robbery. As a consequence, Alicia never got a chance to get to know her father.
Oso returns to his hometown, a depressed suburb of Buenos Aires, fully aware that his wife, Natalia (Soledad Villamil), is living with another man, Sergio (Luis Machn). Oso is determined to establish a relationship with Alicia, and to collect money owed him by a sleazy crime boss known as the Turkish (Ren Lavand). In the meantime, the Turkish wants Oso to be the getaway driver on one last big job. For her part, Alicia seems fascinated with her father and makes him promise never to go away again.
Cast
* Julio Chvez as Rubn (Oso)
* Soledad Villamil as Natalia
* Luis Machn as Sergio
* Agostina Lage as Alicia
* Enrique Liporace as Gemes
* Ren Lavand as Turco
* Daniel Valenzuela as Alfarito
* Freddy Flores as Truck
Distribution
The film was first featured at the Cannes Film Festival on May 23, 2002. It opened in Argentina on October 3, 2002, making the picture Caetano's second film that opened in Argentina in 2002 (the last was 'Bolivia' in April).
The film was also shown at various film festivals, including: the Gothenburg Film Festival, Sweden; the Havana Film Festival, Cuba; the Latin America Film Festival, Poland; the Lleida Latin-American Film Festival, Spain; the Cartagena Film Festival, Colombia; the Film by the Sea Film Festival, Netherlands; and the Helsinki International Film Festival, Finland.
In the United States, the picture opened at the Sundance Film Festival on January 17, 2003. It also screened at the New Directors/New Films Festival, New York City in March 2003, and the Milwaukee International Film Festival and Los Angeles in October 2004.
Critical reception
Film critic Neil Young thought the film was an engaging mix of crime thriller and family drama, and wrote, "[The film] is nevertheless an effective, if minor, foray into a dusty, neglected corner of modern-day Buenos Aires. We can feel Argentina's well-documented financial problems starting to sour the whole country's atmosphere, exerting unbearable pressures on the likes of Sergio, Oso and Natalia." Young also thought director Caetano elicited solid work from his actors.
A.O. Scott, film critic for 'The New York Times,' also liked the film and wrote, "Its combination of toughness and smooth, understated style makes it touching and absorbing..."
And journalist Diego Batlle, who writes for the Argentine daily 'La Nacin' wrote, "'Un oso rojo' imposes itself as a piece of great dramatic power that ratifies a prolific director's narrative talent."
Awards
;Wins
* Argentine Film Critics Association Awards : Silver Condor Award; Best Actor, Julio Chvez; 2003
* Lleida Latin-American Film Festival : Best Actor, Julio Chvez; 2003
* Havana Film Festival : Best Music, Diego Grimblat; Special Jury Prize, Adrin Caetano; Special Mention, Lita Stantic; 2002
;Nominations
* Cartagena Film Festival : Golden India Catalina; Best Film, Adrin Caetano; 2004
* Argentine Film Critics Association Awards: Silver Condor Award; Best Actress, Soledad Villamil; Best Art Direction, Graciela Oderigo; Best Cinematography, Willi Behnisch; Best Director, Adrin Caetano; Best Editing, Santiago Ricci; Best Film; Best Music, Diego Grimblat; Best New Actor, Ren Lavand; Best New Actress, Agostina Lage; Best Original Screenplay, Adrin Caetano and Gabriela Speranza; Best Sound, Marcos De Aguirre; 2003
References
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