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Bottom of the Sea
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Wikipedia article
'Bottom of the Sea' is a 2003 Argentine comedy drama film written and directed by Damin Szifrn and starring Daniel Hendler, Dolores Fonzi and Gustavo Garzn. It was produced by Sebastin Aloi, Nathalie Cabiron, and Damin Cukierkorn. The associate producers were Diana Frey and Guillermo Otero.
The story deals with jealousy and the maturity required for a person to overcome it.
Synopsis
A slightly neurotic architecture student, Ezequiel Toledo (Daniel Hendler), drops by his girlfriend Ana's (Dolores Fonzi) apartment and finds a man named Anbal (Gustavo Garzn) hiding under her bed. Anbal retires quietly without knowing of Ezequiel's discovery, and Ana does not mention him at all. Ezequiel begins to suspect Ana and jealousy fills him. He decides to follow Anbal, whom he's sure is having an affair with Ana. This is the start of a night's odyssey for Ezequiel, who trails his suspect and starts to gather small details about his life and identity. At one point Ezequiel sets fire to Anbal's car and threatens his life. The events spiral even more as Ezequiel is later followed by Ana.
Cast
* Daniel Hendler as Ezequiel Toledo
* Dolores Fonzi as Ana
* Gustavo Garzn as Anbal
* Ramiro Agero as Altclas
* Ignacio Mendi as Rolandelli
* Jos Palomino Cortez as Mximo
* Rafael Filipelli as Filipelli
* Mercedes Halfon as Voz en el telfono
* Diego Peretti as Cmico 1
* Alejandro Fiore as Cmico 2
* Gabriel Fernndez as Joven Arquitecto
* Daniel Valenzuela as Valenzuela
* Claudio Rissi as Taxista
Distribution
The film was first presented at the Mar del Plata Film Festival at the March 11, 2003. It opened wide in Argentina on August 28, 2003.
The film has been screened at some film festivals, including: the Toulouse Latin America Film Festival, France; the Latin America Film Festival, Poland; the Lleida Latin-American Film Festival, Spain; the Donostia-San Sebastin International Film Festival, Spain; and others.
Critical reception
Critic Gustavo J. Castagna, reporting from the Mar del Plata Film Festival for FIPRESCI liked the film, and wrote, "'El fondo del mar' is clearly directed to the box office crowds when made through the use of mixed genres, but it does not fall into any false intents; closer to the aesthetics of Fabian Bielinsky's 'Nine Queens', 'El fondo del mar' shows that a cinema made with pleasure and formal rigor is still possible."[http://www.fipresci.org/festivals/archive/2003/mar_del_plata_2003/mdp2003_gcastagna.htm Castagna, Gustavo J] . FIPRESCI film review, 2003.
Neil Young thought the film was an "unassuming but very likeable little comedy with dramatic touches...writer-director makes a very old set-up seem fresh, funny and surprising." Yet, Young thought director Damin Szifrn lost his way at the end.[http://www.jigsawlounge.co.uk/film/sanseb04.html#thebottomofthesea Young, Neil]. 'Neil Young's Film Lounge,' reporting from the Donostia-San Sebastin International Film Festival, September 25, 2003.
Awards
'Wins'
* Clarin Entertainment Awards: Clarin Award Best Film Actor, Gustavo Garzn; Best Film Director, Damin Szifron; Best Film; Best Film Screenplay, Damin Szifron; 2003.
* Mar del Plata Film Festival: Audience Award, Damin Szifron; Best Ibero-American Film, Damin Szifron; FIPRESCI Prize - Special Mention Best Latin-American Film, Damin Szifron; 2003.
* Donostia-San Sebastin International Film Festival: Horizons Award - Special Mention, Damin Szifron, 2003.
* Argentine Film Critics Association Awards: Silver Condor; Best Supporting Actor, Gustavo Garzn; 2004.
* Lleida Latin-American Film Festival: Best Actor, Daniel Hendler; Best First Work, Damin Szifron; 2004.
'Nominations'
* Argentine Film Critics Association Awards: Silver Condor, Best Actor, Daniel Hendler; Best Art Direction, Mariela Rpodas and Lucia Onofri; Best Cinematography, Lucio Bonelli; Best Director, Damin Szifron; Best Film; Best First Film, Damin Szifron; Best Original Screenplay, Damin Szifron; Best Sound, Jesica Suarez, Marcos De Aguirre and Fernando Soldevila; Best Supporting Actress, Dolores Fonzi; 2004.
References
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