El Fondo del Mar

Infobox Film
name = El fondo del mar


image_size =
caption = Theatrical Poster
director = Damián Szifrón
producer = Producer:
Sebastian Aloi
Executive Producers:
Sebastian Aloi
Nathalie Cabiron
Damián Cukierkorn
writer = Damián Szifrón
narrator =
starring = Daniel Hendler
Dolores Fonzi
Gustavo Garzón
music = Guillermo Guareschi
cinematography = Lucio Bonelli
editing = Nicolás Goldbart
distributor =
released = March 11, 2003
runtime = 105 minutes
country = Argentina
language = Spanish
budget =
website =
amg_id = 1:287239
imdb_id = 0322298

"El fondo del mar" (English: "The Bottom of the Sea") (2003) is an Argentine film directed by Damián Szifrón. The picture was produced by Sebastian Aloi, executive produced by Sebastian Aloi, Nathalie Cabiron, and Damián Cukierkorn. The associate producers were: Diana Frey and Guillermo Otero. [imdb title|id=0322298|title=El fondo del mar]

The movie features Daniel Hendler, Dolores Fonzi, Gustavo Garzón, among others.

Plot

A slightly neurotic architecture student, Ezequiel Toledo (Daniel Hendler), drops by his girlfriend Ana's (Dolores Fonzi) home and finds Aníbal (Gustavo Garzón) hiding under her bed.

He begins to suspect Ana and jealousy fills him. He decides to follow Aníbal, whom he's sure is having an affair with Ana.

The film follows a night's odyssey as he trails his suspect and starts to gather small details about Aníbal identity.

At one point Ezequiel sets fire to Aníbal's car and threatens his life.

The story ultimately deals with jealousy and the maturity required to overcome that jealousy.

Cast

* Daniel Hendler as Ezequiel Toledo
* Dolores Fonzi as Ana
* Gustavo Garzón as Aníbal
* Ramiro Agüero as Altclas
* Ignacio Mendi as Rolandelli
* José Palomino Cortez as Máximo
* Rafael Filipelli as Filipelli
* Mercedes Halfon as Voz en el teléfono
* Diego Peretti as Cómico 1
* Alejandro Fiore as Cómico 2
* Gabriel Fernández as Joven Arquitecto
* Daniel Valenzuela as Valenzuela
* Claudio Rissi as Taxista

Distribution

The film was first presented at the Mar del Plata Film Festival at the March 11, 2003. It opened wide in Argentina on August 28, 2003.

The film has been screened at some film festivals, including: the Toulouse Latin America Film Festival, France; the Latin America Film Festival, Poland; the Lleida Latin-American Film Festival, Spain; the Donostia-San Sebastián International Film Festival, Spain; and others.

Critical reception

Critic Gustavo J. Castagna, reporting from the Mar del Plata Film Festival for FIPRESCI liked the film, and wrote, "El fondo del mar" is clearly directed to the box office crowds when made through the use of mixed genres, but it does not fall into any false intents; closer to the aesthetics of Fabian Bielinsky's "Nine Queens", "El fondo del mar" shows that a cinema made with pleasure and formal rigor is still possible." [ [http://www.fipresci.org/festivals/archive/2003/mar_del_plata_2003/mdp2003_gcastagna.htm Castagna, Gustavo J] . FIPRESCI film review, 2003.]

Neil Young thought the film was an "unassuming but very likeable little comedy with dramatic touches...writer-director makes a very old set-up seem fresh, funny and surprising." Yet, Young thought director Damián Szifrón lost his way at the end. [ [http://www.jigsawlounge.co.uk/film/sanseb04.html#thebottomofthesea Young, Neil] . "Neil Young's Film Lounge," reporting from the Donostia-San Sebastián International Film Festival, September 25, 2003.]

Awards

Wins
* Clarin Entertainment Awards: Clarin Award Best Film Actor, Gustavo Garzón; Best Film Director, Damián Szifron; Best Film; Best Film Screenplay, Damián Szifron; 2003.
* Mar del Plata Film Festival: Audience Award, Damián Szifron; Best Ibero-American Film, Damián Szifron; FIPRESCI Prize - Special Mention Best Latin-American Film, Damián Szifron; 2003.
* Donostia-San Sebastián International Film Festival: Horizons Award - Special Mention, Damián Szifron, 2003.
* Argentine Film Critics Association Awards: Silver Condor; Best Supporting Actor, Gustavo Garzón; 2004.
* Lleida Latin-American Film Festival: Best Actor, Daniel Hendler; Best First Work, Damián Szifron; 2004.

Nominations
* Argentine Film Critics Association Awards: Silver Condor, Best Actor, Daniel Hendler; Best Art Direction, Mariela Rípodas and Lucia Onofri; Best Cinematography, Lucio Bonelli; Best Director, Damián Szifron; Best Film; Best First Film, Damián Szifron; Best Original Screenplay, Damián Szifron; Best Sound, Jesica Suarez, Marcos De Aguirre and Fernando Soldevila; Best Supporting Actress, Dolores Fonzi; 2004.

References

External links

*.
*.
* [http://www.cinenacional.com/peliculas/index.php?pelicula=2761 "El fondo del mar"] at the cinenacional.com sp icon.