The Holy Girl

Infobox Film
name = The Holy Girl


image_size =
caption = Theatrical poster
director = Lucrecia Martel
producer = Lita Stantic
writer = Lucrecia Martel
narrator =
starring = Mercedes Morán Carlos Belloso Alejandro Urdapilleta María Alche
music = Andres Gerszenzon
cinematography = Félix Monti
editing = Santiago Ricci
distributor = Production: Lita Stantic Producciones Distribution: HBO Films Fine Line Features (USA) (theatrical)
released = Argentina: May 6, 2004 France: May 16, 2004 United States: April 29, 2005
runtime = 106 minutes
country = Argentina Spain Italy
language = Spanish
budget =
website = http://www.laninasanta.com/home_en.html
amg_id = 1:306958
imdb_id = 0300270|

"The Holy Girl" ( _es. La niña santa) (2004) is an Argentine, Spanish, and Italian drama film, directed by Lucrecia Martel. The picture was executive produced by Pedro Almodóvar, Agustín Almodóvar, and Esther García. It was produced by Lita Stantic. [ [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0300270/ "La niña santa"] at the Internet Movie Database.]

The motion picture features Mercedes Morán, María Alche, Carlos Belloso, Alejandro Urdapilleta, Julieta Zylberberg, among others.

Plot

The film takes place in the small town of La Ciénaga, at the "Hotel Termas," a dilapidated Argentine hotel, during a medical conference.

Two young teenage girls, Amalia (María Alché) and her best friend Josefina (Julieta Zylberberg), begin to explore their new sexuality and, at the same time, have Catholic religious passion.

Amalia lives with her attractive divorced mother (Mercedes Morán), who owns the hotel, and her uncle Freddy (Alejandro Urdapilleta).

During this time, in Amalia's mind, spiritual and sexual impulses are seeming to converge.

One day, in the midst of a large crowd watching the performance of a musician playing the theremin, Dr. Jano (Carlos Belloso), a participant in the conference and hotel guest, rubs up sexually against Amalia. She is upset but takes his inappropriate action as a sign that her Cathiloc faith has given her a mission: to save Dr. Jano from such inappropriate behavior.

Afterward, the object of Amelia's desire becomes the married middle-aged doctor and she begins to spy on him.

Amalia's story is partly about an adolescent girl's discovery of her sexual vulnerability and the sexual power she possesses.

Background

The screenplay of the film was written by director Lucrecia Martel.

The picture while not exactly autobiographical was based on Martel's memories. Martel said, "The film isn't strictly autobiographical, but what I put in it is my personal experience in life, my memories. When I was in my teens, I was a very religious person. I thought I had a special relationship with God, or anything that was up there. Now, I don't believe in miracles, but I do believe in the emotion you feel in front of a miracle - the emotion of something unexpected revealed to you." [ [http://www.telegraph.co.uk/arts/main.jhtml?xml=/arts/2005/01/25/bfsex25.xml "Telegraph"] . Film review, January 25, 2005.]

As part of the way she uses the camera the film has few establishing shots or transition shots because she makes the case it physically separates a space from its moment in the film. [ [http://www.combustiblecelluloid.com/interviews/martel.shtml Anderson, Jeffrey M] . "Combustible Celluloid," "The Nature of Water," film review and interview with Martel, April 22, 2005.]

Filming location
The film was shot entirely in Salta, in the Salta Province, Argentina. The director/screenwriter was born in Salta.

Cast

* Mercedes Morán as Helena
* María Alche as Amalia
* Carlos Belloso as Dr. Jano
* Alejandro Urdapilleta as Freddy
* Julieta Zylberberg as Josefina
* Mía Maestro as Inés
* Marta Lubos as Mirta
* Arturo Goetz as Dr. Vesalio
* Alejo Mango as Dr. Cuesta
* Mónica Villa as Madre de Josefina
* Leandro Stivelman as Julian
* Manuel Schaller as Thermin player

Distribution

The film first opened in Argentina on May 6, 2004. It was selected for competition and featured internationally at the Cannes Film Festival on May 16, 2004.

The film was also shown at various film festivals, including: the Karlovy Vary Film Festival, the Toronto Film Festival, the Helsinki International Film Festival, the London Film Festival, the Hong Kong International Film Festival, and the Reykjavik International Film Festival.

In the United States it was presented at the New York Film Festival on October 10, 2004, and the Seattle International Film Festival on May 20, 2005. Fine Line Features gave it a limited US theatrical release on April 29, 2005.

Critical reception

A.O. Scott, film critic for "The New York Times," called the film an "elusive, feverish and altogether amazing second feature..." He also liked Martel's artistic directorial approach to films, and wrote, "Her visual style is similarly oblique, as she frames her characters through half-opened doors, at odd angles and in asymmetrical close-ups. To a degree that is sometimes disorienting, Ms. Martel explores the mysteries of the senses. They are our instruments for knowing ourselves, each other and the world, but they also mislead us, bringing pain, pleasure and confusion in equal measure." [ [http://movies2.nytimes.com/2004/10/09/movies/09girl.html?ex=1171170000&en=e1a9a587610cbef4&ei=5070 Scott, A.O] . "The New York Times," "The Stirrings of Sensuality for a Pilgrim on the Road," film review, October 9, 2004.]

Kevin Thomas, critic for the "Los Angeles Times," wrote, " [the film] reveals the style, insight and confidence that are the marks of a major director." He also said of director Martel, " [She's] a subtle artist and a sharp observer, Martel manages a large cast with an ease that matches her skill at storytelling, within which psychological insight and social comment flow easily and implicitly." [ [http://www.calendarlive.com/movies/reviews/cl-et-holy13may13,0,1585545.story Thomas, Kevin] . "Los Angeles Times," film review, May 13, 2005.]

Film critic Ruth Stein also credits director Martel for capturing the mood of the film, and wrote, "Martel is especially good at capturing a claustrophobic environment, and she wisely leaves ambiguous the question of the doctor's complicity in Amalia's frenzied state. He fails to recognize her when she starts stalking him -- an indication of the randomness of the act done to the accompaniment of a theremin." [ [http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/reviews/movies/HOLYGIRL.DTL&type=movies Stein, Ruth] . "San Francisco Chronicle," film review, May 13, 2005.]

Awards

Wins
* Clarin Entertainment Awards: Clarin Award; Best Director, Lucrecia Martel; Best New FIlm Actress, Julieta Zylberberg; 2004.
* São Paulo International Film Festival: Critics Award, Honorable Mention, Lucrecia Martel; 2004.

Nominations
* Cannes Film Festival: Golden Palm, Lucrecia Martel; 2004.
* Argentine Film Critics Association Awards: Silver Condor; Best Cinematography, Félix Monti; Best Costume Design, Julio Suárez; Best New Actress, María Alche; Best Supporting Actress, Julieta Zylberberg; 2005.

References

Notes

External links

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* [http://www.cinenacional.com/peliculas/index.php?pelicula=2522 "La niña santa"] at cinenacional.com es icon
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