Movie No. 16 (2020): THE OFFICIAL STORY

The Official Story (1985)
Director: Luis Puenzo
Cast: Norma Aleandro, Hector Alterio
In Spanish, with English subtitles

She teaches History in a high school in Buenos Aires. The city is in some kind of political unrest under a military junta. She's indifferent to the injustices committed as long as her husband is rubbing elbows with the men in power. 

Then her made-up peaceful world gets shaken when doubt about the origin of her adopted child sets in and disturb her. A chance meeting with a relative of one of the Desaparecidos (the disappeared) in the streets full of protesters leads her to want to find the official story.

The movie is a family drama that doubles as a political thriller. The experience of seeing The Official Story is comparable to being glued to Z and Missing, both by Constantin Costa Gavras. It appears that the story is very personal to the director or writer as the tragic circumstances that unfold are very haunting. 

Rating: 4.0/4.0

Date seen: March 21, 2020