Feature trailer for Clandestine Childhood.
In 1979, after four years living in exile, a family of dissidents returns to Argentina incognito to fight the military junta from within. Their 12-year-old son Juan has to hide his Cuban accent as he leads a double life, registered in school as “Ernesto” but privy to his parents’ guerilla activities. Typical coming-of-age experiences, like advice on girls from his dad and a budding romance with a pretty classmate, occur in a surreal world of guns, ammo, and the constant fear that his family could be found out and destroyed.
Winner of the prestigious Casa de América Award at the San Sebastián Film Festival, Clandestine Childhood is based on the real-life story of first-time director Benjamín Ávila, whose mother was one of the many thousands of dissidents who “disappeared” in Argentina’s Dirty War. Ávila’s naturalistic style highlights the humanity of his characters as seen through Juan’s eyes; Teo Gutierrez Moreno, in the lead role, belies his age with a layered and nuanced performance. When the action gets violent, Ávila boldly switches from live action to graphic-novel-style illustrations.