Agua (2006 film)

Infobox Film
name = Agua


caption = Theatrical poster
director = Verónica Chen
producer = Verónica Chen Denis Freyd
writer = Pablo Lago Verónica Chen
starring = Jimena Anganuzzi
music =
cinematography = Sabine Lancelin Matías Mesa
editing = Luis César D'Angiolillo Jacopo Quadri
distributor = Celluloid Dreams
released = April 21 2006
runtime = 89 minutes
country = Argentina France
language = Spanish
budget =
followed_by =
amg_id =
imdb_id = 0831270|

"Agua" (English: "Water" and in the United Kingdom: "Argentinian Waters") (2006) is an Argentine and French sports drama film directed and written by Verónica Chen and Pablo Lago. [imdb title|id=0831270|title=Agua.]

The film is centered around a former professional swimming champion returning to old glory in the sport.

Plot

Thirty-four-year-old Goyo, a former open water swimming champion, has been hiding out in the desert. Wrongly accused of doping in the Santa Fe-Coronda Marathon, a 57 kilometer river swim, he has abandoned his career and his dreams.

Eight years later, Goyo returns to Santa Fe, where the marathon will be held again, to attempt to re-gain his title and clear his name. Goyo is inspired to attempt again after seeing a documentary about 6 fold long distance swimming world champion Edith van Dijk who plays herself in the movie.

However, long buried emotions come back to haunt him. He meets Chino, a stubborn and disciplined pool swimmer, who tries hard to be selected for the national team, but fails.

Cast

* Rafael Ferro as Goyo
* Nicolás Mateo as Chino
* Jimena Anganuzzi as Luisa
* Leonora Balcarce as Ana
* Gloria Carrá as Maria
* Edith van Dijk as herself

Distribution

The drama premiered on April 21, 2006 in Argentina at the Buenos Aires International Festival of Independent Cinema, and opened wide in the country on September 21, 2006.

The picture was screened at various film festivals, including: the Locarno Film Festival, Switzerland; the Warsaw Film Festival, Poland; the Amiens International Film Festival, France; the Oslo International Film Festival, Norway; and others.

Critical reception

Robert Koehler, film critic for "Variety" magazine, gave the film a mixed review when reporting from the Buenos Aires Independent Film Festival. He wrote, "Pretension swallows up "Water," Veronica Chen's shallow follow-up to her fine 2001 debut, "Smokers Only." Bookended by a hauntingly atmospheric opening sequence and a finale that makes the central characters' involvement with marathon swimming vivid and physical, the pic has a gaping hole in the middle. Hardly different in basic outline from innumerable recent sports films about outsiders and underdogs turning their lives around, the pic's only twist is an excessively and pointlessly elliptical storytelling gambit. Fest interest will be mild at best for a film with little commercial kick." [ [http://www.variety.com/review/VE1117930447.html?categoryid=31&cs=1&query=agua+review Koehler, Robert] . "Varity," film review, May 8, 2006. Last accessed: February 18, 2008.]

Awards

Wins
* Amiens International Film Festival, France: SIGNIS Award, Best Film, Verónica Chen; 2006.
* Locarno International Film Festival, Switzerland: Prize of the Ecumenical Jury, Verónica Chen; Youth Jury Award: Environment is Quality of Life, Verónica Chen; 2006.
* Argentine Film Critics Association Awards: Silver Condor, Best Sound, Martín Grignaschi and Federico Billordo; 2007.
* Málaga Spanish Film Festival, Spain: Silver Biznaga, Best Film, Verónica Chen; 2007.
* Palm Springs International Film Festival: New Voices/New Visions Special Jury Prize, Best Film, Verónica Chen; 2007.

Nominations
* Locarno International Film Festival: Golden Leopard, Verónica Chen; 2006.
* Marrakech International Film Festival, Morocco: Golden Star, Verónica Chen; 2006.
* Oslo Films from the South Festival: Films from the South Award, Best Feature, Verónica Chen; 2006.
* Argentine Film Critics Association Awards: Silver Condor, Best Cinematography, Sabine Lancelin and Matías Mesa; 2007.

References

Notes

External links

*
* [http://www.cinenacional.com/peliculas/index.php?pelicula=3203 "Agua"] at the cinenacional.com sp icon