Ricardo Darín, Peter Lanzani in a scene from ‘Argentina, 1985’ | Photo Credit: Prime Video
They say that the fight is not in coming out victorious at the end of a fight, but in standing up after every fight to fight again. Democracy needs that firmness too; The fight to establish democracy is one thing, democracy fights for itself from birth and till eternity. At a time when democracies around the world face enemies new and old, the Spanish political drama Argentina, 1985 A look at history is a reminder of the need to persevere against the horrors of fascism. The famous ‘Trial of the Juntas’ that took place in Argentina in the 1980s, following the end of a seven-year military dictatorship and the establishment of democracy in 1983, is the example shown here.
Argentina, 1985 (Spanish)
director: Santiago Miter
mold: Ricardo Darin, Peter Lanzani, Alejandra Flechner, Norman Briskey
Order: 140 minutes
Story: At a time when the young democracy is still reeling from the consequences of a civil war and a military coup, national prosecutor Julio Strassera is tasked with prosecuting top military commanders for heinous crimes against humanity.
Seven months after the establishment of the government, Lieutenant General Jorge Rafael Videla and several other army commanders were made to stand trial in a civilian court for numerous crimes against humanity, including kidnapping, mass torture, sexual assault and the murder of innocent men and women Has gone. during the years of the coup. Julio Cesar Strassera (Ricardo Darin), the sole prosecutor of the Federal Court of Appeals, and his deputy Luis Moreno Ocampo (Peter Lanzani) face the mountainous challenge of prosecuting the juntas when there is obvious unrest in the air and a lack of confidence in the chosen one. Many in the government. The pressure of prosecuting a case that could change the fate of a country requires them to wage a war outside the courtroom against the men of the defendants and those who are sympathetic to the military and have been made to believe that The guerrillas were the only real enemy.
Argentina, 1985 Not the usual courtroom drama. Even if the proceedings inside the court result in personal sequestration, this is more what happens outside the courts, where persons of law are not allowed to do so. Remember, this is at a time when even the validity of the civil court is being questioned. Through its setting, the film shows how even after the birth of a people’s government, the shadow of fascism hangs over the whole country. Strassera’s very introduction portrays him as a weak, nervous man who knows that the risks involved in a lawsuit against an army that the government might secretly be bedded are far greater than the danger to his life. would be disastrous.
Much of the opening portion revolves around a worried Stacera, his family, and how he and Moreno Ocampo form a legal team consisting of young lawyers in their 20s. But Argentina, 1985 shocks you to your seats when the human drama unfolds to the greater layer upon which the narrative lies. This is when devastating crimes are brought to light through testimonies. Till then, it was about a case against ‘criminals’, but the details of these crimes unwrap the plastic shell of the bureaucracy and the proforma of the courts. These are crimes against actual human victims who were subjected to unspeakable acts.
Writer-director Santiago Mitre, along with screenwriter Mariano Llinas, succeed in first making us care about the case and then detailing these devastating crimes, through a chronology of the historical case’s progress. It’s unusual for a courtroom drama, but it works because, by the film’s very setting and air of paranoia, we are forced to think about the sheer brutality of the crimes that could have been committed during a coup. Question them when no one was there.
It’s also amazing how many other characters and subplots are used and woven back into the main narrative. For example, a cute subplot is Moreno Ocampo’s relationship with his mother, a military pro from a military family, who sees the light when the victims are told of the crimes.
Argentina, 1985 Nothing but the innocuous nature of a political legal drama based on real events: You know the outcome and you know what happened. But this is not just a history lesson; It engages in showing you what the test means.
If the writing is one thing, it’s the invested performances by Darin and Lanzani that make us feel the impact. Darin is equally impressive both in the moments that reflect Strassera’s concerns and when he becomes a model of confidence and discipline. And, note how Lanzani expresses his fear in a scene inside the courtroom when he suspects that something unfortunate is happening in the background.
The thoughtful use of music also deserves credit; The film uses modern-ish cinematic themes to heighten the drama and tension, and classical piano instrumentals to mark a celebration or ease the tension. The score during the final moments is also chilling.
Argentina, 1985 Judicial speaks about the complexity of justice; It is not as binary as win or lose. The final moments of the film feature a quote on behalf of all of Argentina: “Never again.” Argentina, 1985 This sends a loud message to every nation that has fought or is fighting for democracy, to look back and look within.
Argentina, 1985 is currently streaming on Prime Video