Haroldo Conti

Haroldo Conti (May 25, 1925 – 1976) was an Argentine writer, screnwriter, teacher and latin professor. On May 5, 1976 he disappeared during the Proceso de Reorganización Nacional military dictatorship, on this day the "Día del Escritor Bonaerense" (Day of the Buenos Aires writer) is held in his honour.

Biography

Conti was born in Chacabuco, Buenos Aires. He was the son of Petronila Lombardi and Pedro Conti, who was the founder of the Chacabuco Peronist party. He studied Philosophy at the University of Buenos Aires, he finished his studies in 1954 and wrote the film "La bestia debe morir".

In 1955 he married Dora Campos who gave him two children; Alejandra and Marcelo.

Conti had a passion for the Tigre river and the Paraná Delta, it feateres in several of his works and in 1960 he built a boat "El Alejandra" which he used on the Tigre.

In 1962 he published his first novel "Sudeste", which won the Fabril award and appeared on the Primera Plana best-sellers list in 1963. In 1964 his book of short stories "Todos los veranos" received the Segundo Premio Municipal.

In 1967 his book "Alrededor de la jaula" won an award at the Veracruz University in Mexico.

Between 1967 and 1976 he worked as a latin teacher at Liceo Nacional Nº 7 in Buenos Aires, in 1979, three years after his dissapearance, the ministry of education sent a letter claiming that Conti had retired in order to "carry out various tasks".

In the early 1970s he travelled to Cuba to attend the Casa de las Américas. He continued to win prizes and awards for his work and in 1975 his novel "Mascaró, el cazador americano" won the Casa de las Américas Prize.

Around October 1975 Conti received advice that his name was included on a list of subversive agents compiled by the military. After the military coup in 1976 he was arrested in his shop on Fitz Roy street, Buenos Aires, he is included on the list of permanently disappeared.

Works

Novels

* Sudeste (1962)
* Alrededor de la jaula (1966)
* En vida (1971)
* Mascaró el cazador americano (1975)

hort stories

* Todos los veranos (1964)
* Con otra gente (1967) (o Perdido)
* La balada del álamo carolina (1975)
* Las doce a Bragado
* Ad Astra
* Los novios

Legacy

On May 5 the "Día del Escritor Bonaerense" (Day of the Buenos Aires writer) is held in his honour. An number of his works have been made into films including "Crecer de golpe" (1977), based on "Alrededor de la jaula" and "Sudeste" (2003).

In 2002 a telefilm of his story, "Los perfumes de la noche" directed by Santiago Palavecino was broadcast.

External links

* [http://audiovideotecaba.gov.ar/areas/com_social/audiovideoteca/literatura/conti_bio2_es.php Biography - timeline]
* [http://audiovideotecaba.gov.ar/areas/com_social/audiovideoteca/literatura/conti_biblio_es.php List of works]
* [http://www.literatura.org/Conti/Conti.html Short bio]
* [http://www.elortiba.org/hconti.html Works]