Waiting for the Messiah

Infobox Film
name = Waiting for the Messiah


image_size =
caption = Theatrical Poster
director = Daniel Burman
producer = Executive Producer: Diego Dubcovsky Producers: Luis Ángel Bellaba
Enrique Piñeyro
writer = Daniel Burman Emiliano Torres
narrator =
starring = Daniel Hendler Enrique Piñeyro Héctor Alterio
music = César Lerner Marcelo Moguilevsky
cinematography = Ramiro Civita
editing = Verónica Chen
distributor = Astrolabio Producciones S.L.
Amanda Films S.L. BD Cine
Aqua Films TLA Releasing
released = Argentina: May 25, 2000
runtime = 98 minutes
country = Argentina
Spain
Italy
language = Spanish
Yiddish
budget =
website = http://www.aquafilms.com.ar/ingles/films_mesias_ing.html
amg_id = 1:206888
imdb_id = 0248001|

"Waiting for the Messiah" ( _es. Esperando al mesías) (2000) is an Argentine, Spanish, and Italian comedy drama film directed by Daniel Burman. The film features Daniel Hendler, Enrique Piñeyro, Héctor Alterio, Melina Petriella, Stefania Sandrelli, Imanol Arias and Dolores Fonzi, among others. [imdb title|id=0248001|title=Esperando al mesías]

The picture won many awards including Best Film at the Lleida Latin-American Film Festival in Spain.

Plot

The film takes place in a Jewish community of Buenos Aires.

The picture tells of Ariel (Daniel Hendler), a restaurant waiter and a young man who is torn between his devotion to traditional family ties and the desire for something different, and, of Santamaria (Enrique Piñeyro) an older bank employee who suddenly finds his life in complete turmoil.

Santamaria is unexpectedly fired from his bank job due to the world's stock market shocks. His wife takes this event as an opportunity to get rid of him and put him out on the street.

Forced to make a small living returning stolen wallets, Santamaria finds some hope in a bathroom attendant (Stefania Sandrelli) who is waiting for her husband to be released from prison.

Ariel is very much against the restraints of a future that will see him take over his elderly father's (Héctor Alterio) restaurant and marry a nice Argentine Jewish girl (Melina Petriella).

At the same time, Ariel is also attracted to a sexy co-worker, Laura (Chiara Caselli), who tells him she's a lesbian.

Background

The title alludes to the Jewish belief of "waiting for the Messiah"; in this case, characters are shown at first to be inactive and dormant, until death and crisis forces them to take action and reevaluate their lives.

Cast

* Daniel Hendler as Ariel Goldstein
* Enrique Piñeyro as Santamaría
* Héctor Alterio as Simón
* Melina Petriella as Estela
* Stefania Sandrelli as Elsa
* Chiara Caselli as Laura
* Gabriela Acher as Sara
* Imanol Arias as Baltasar
* Dolores Fonzi as Any
* Edda Bustamante as Mujer trampa
* Tajma Minoru as Oriental
* Juan José Flores Quispe as Ramón
* Eduardo Wigutow as Moshé Levin
* Beatriz Thibaudin as Anciana
* Sandra Sandrelli as Santa
* Dan Adaszko as Albino 1
* Ariel Adaszko as Albino 2

Distribution

The film opened wide in Argentina on May 25, 2000.

The picture was then presented at the Toronto Film Festival on September 14, 2000, and later at the Palm Springs International Film Festival on January 12, 2001.

Awards

Wins
* Valladolid International Film Festival, Spain: Critics Association Award; FIPRESCI Prize: For an honest, both realistic and symbolic depiction of human hopes in Buenos Aires today; 2000.
* Havana Film Festival: Grand Coral Third Prize; Cuba; 2000.
* Buenos Aires International Festival of Independent Cinema: Special Award to Enrique Piñeyro for his Acting Performance; Argentina; 2000.
* Biarritz Film Festival: Audience Award; France; 2000.
* Argentine Film Critics Association Awards: Silver Condor; Best Music, César Lerner and Marcelo Moguilevsky; 2001.
* Lleida Latin-American Film Festival: Best Film; Daniel Burman; 2001.

Nominations
* Bratislava International Film Festival: Grand Prix, Daniel Burman; 2000.
* Thessaloniki Film Festival: Golden Alexander, Daniel Burman; 2000.
* Valladolid International Film Festival: Golden Spike, Daniel Burman; 2000.
* Argentine Film Critics Association Awards: Silver Condor, Best Director, Daniel Burman; Best Film; Best New Actor, Daniel Hendler; Best New Actress, Melina Petriella; Best Original Screenplay, Daniel Burman and Emiliano Torres; Best Supporting Actress, Stefania Sandrelli; 2001.

References

External links

*.
*.
* [http://www.cinenacional.com/peliculas/index.php?pelicula=2377 "Esperando al mesías"] at the cinenacional.com sp icon.
* [http://www.labutaca.net/films/2/esperando.htm "Esperando al mesías"] at "La Butaca" sp icon.