El aura (2005)

User Rating:

7.6/10   

Director:

Fabián Bielinsky

Writer:

Fabián Bielinsky (writer)

Release Date:

15 September 2005 (Argentina)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Thriller

Plot:

A deluded taxidermist plans the perfect crime.

Plot Keywords:

Heist | Epilepsy | Neo Noir | Taxidermy | Armored Car Robbery

Awards:

10 wins & 6 nominations

Cast

Ricardo Darín	...	Esteban Espinosa (The taxidermist)
Dolores Fonzi	...	Diana Dietrich
Pablo Cedrón	...	Sosa
Nahuel Pérez Biscayart	...	Julio
Jorge D'Elía	...	Urien
Alejandro Awada	...	Sontag
Rafa Castejón	...	Vega
Manuel Rodal	...	Carlos Dietrich
Walter Reyno	...	Montero
Alejandro Gancé
Daniel Alejandro Ovando
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Guido D'Albo	...	Hotel administrator
Daniel Delevin
Eva	...	The dog
Claudio Rissi	...	Vega (voice)
Victoria Vescio	...	Vanina, the prostitue's daughter

Also Known As:

The Aura (International: English title) (USA)
El aura (Spain)

Runtime:

134 min | Argentina:138 min

Country:

Argentina | France | Spain

Language:

Spanish

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Argentina:13 | Brazil:16 | Switzerland:14 (canton of Vaud) | Switzerland:14 (canton of Geneva) | France:U | Spain:18 | Norway:15 | Netherlands:12 | New Zealand:M | Canada:14A | USA:Not Rated

Filming Locations:

Bariloche, Argentina

Company:

Aura Films

Trivia:

Fabián Bielinsky's last movie.

Soundtrack:

Presto

Fabián Bielinsky (1959-2006)

El Aura

A few months ago, a true tragedy occurred; and I'm gonna say the same thing many people did. This year, Fabián Bielinsky died of a heart attack at the age of 46 in Brasil, while promoting his second film. A heart attack was the misfortune of one of the great Argentine directors who leaves us two legacies of fabulous film-making: "Nueve Reinas" and "El Aura".

"Nueve Reinas" was a tale of the Buenos Aires reality; a tale of thieves and cops, a tale of honest people and bastards, a tale of being played (conned) in the best existent way. If America didn't watch Bielinsky's original version, they watched "Criminal"; and go check the credits because he is there and if I watched "Nueve Reinas" today, I'm sure I'd feel the same way: Wow!

It took him five years to release his second movie. I don't know when he started writing it, when he finished it and in how many time he shot it, but I know he did a flawless job. A movie like "El Aura", in any other country, is a very good film from Argentina, but for us it's something we've never seen before; something that makes us think and feel.

Argentine cinema is nationalist; it shows our customs, the family life…And that's great, because new filmmakers have the chance of telling real stories and getting to the viewer…But with Bielinsky the line is indifferent; the main character in "El Aura", a taxidermist, could be a person from any part of the world; but he is Argentinean and he goes to the Patagonia on a hunting trip.

What happens during that trip I can't tell, but hint; it's about a robbery Bielinsky's main character always dreamed of, about a dog that represents a lot more than an animal, about secrets told and secrets known, about epilepsy. The taxidermist haves these attacks and the movie begins when he has woken up after having one.

In one occasion, he is asked: "Do they hurt?". "No", he says. "I know when they're going to come; because a few seconds earlier, I feel something…The doctors call it 'aura'…" The explanation which follows that statement is a pure demonstration of the cinematographic language. Because Bielinsky understands the language, he plays freely with it.

His picture is full of silence, but it wouldn't be as good without the shots he achieves while the silence lasts and the facial expressions of the taxidermist; but that's the work of an actor. Ricardo Darín is the most popular actor of our country, but we see him act every time, and the ones who love cinema, know; that today he is also the best actor we have. Just watch him here in the silence, pay attention to his body language; he carries the whole film on his shoulders.

However, the rest of the cast is first-rate. Dolores Fonzi, Alejandro Awada, Jorge D'Elía, Pablo Cedrón, a growing young talent called Nahuel Pérez Biscayart (a cast member of the Argentine adaptation of "Desperate Housewives" Mom!) and a totally unexpected and revealing portrayal by Walter Reyno. The film has been discussed in many ways, because it might mean more than it appears to mean. Don't worry about that, just admire this unique work and then feel happy for it.

Fabián Bielinsky: May you rest in peace.