Clandestine Childhood

A Potent Argentinean Drama: A Well Executed Coming-Of-Age Story Set In Extraordinary Times
The Argentinean drama "Clandestine Childhood" is clearly a very personal film to its writer/director Benjamin Avila. Set in the late seventies, Argentina was under a strict military dictatorship and this created one of the most harrowing times in the country's history. The brutality of the junta is well documented, as are the efforts of those who sought to fight oppression. The army struck down anyone suspected of being in an opposition group with many being murdered and more simply vanishing with no trace. Indeed, the film's dedication is to Avila's mother who is one of those who disappeared. So it's easy to see why he would want to tell a story about a boy growing up in this environment. I mention the historical aspect that sets the scene for "Clandestine Childhood" because it helps to have a little context. If you know nothing of what occurred, the screenplay does not spell it out. While the political climate is certainly prevalent and quite significant throughout, the primary...





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