Gigante (2009)

Director:

Adrián Biniez

Writer:

Adrián Biniez (screenplay)

Release Date:

4 December 2009 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

A chronicle of a supermarket security guard's obsession with a late-shift janitor.

Plot Keywords:

Work | Supermarket | Graveyard Shift | Security Camera | Internet Café

Awards:

12 wins & 3 nominations

Cast

Horacio Camandule	...	Jara
Leonor Svarcas	...	Julia
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Ignacio Alcuri	...	Empleado del Cibercafé
Fernando Alonso	...	Julio
Diego Artucio	...	Omar
Ariel Caldarelli	...	Jaras Chef
Fabiana Charlo	...	Mariela
Andrés Gallo	...	Fidel
Federico García	...	Matías
Néstor Guzzini	...	Tomás
Esteban Lago	...	Gustavo
Leandro Lagos	...	Tipo en el boliche
Ernesto Liotti	...	Danilo
Carlos Lissardy	...	Kennedy
Nacho Mendy	...	Miguel
Marcos Moron	...	Cliente en el bar
Augusto Peloso	...	Rojas
Darío Peloso	...	Empleado
Alejandro Tocar	...	Botija en el Cibercafé
Rafael Sosa Zeballos	...	Roquero

Directed by
Adrián Biniez

Writing credits
Adrián Biniez		(screenplay)

Produced by
Jeroen Beker	....	co-producer
Natacha Cervi	....	co-producer
Agustina Chiarino	....	executive producer
Fernando Epstein	....	executive producer
Fernando Epstein	....	producer
Christoph Friedel	....	co-producer
Hernán Musaluppi	....	co-producer
Frans van Gestel	....	co-producer

Cinematography by
Arauco Hernández Holz

Art Direction by
Alejandro Castiglioni

Production Management
Vera Jennes	....	post-production supervisor
Laurette Schillings	....	production supervisor: NL

Sound Department
Federico Billordo	....	foley artist
Roberto Espinoza	....	sound re-recording mixer
Daniel Yafalián	....	sound

Camera and Electrical Department
Pablo Berti	....	assistant camera

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Emilia Carlevaro	....	wardrobe

Transportation Department
James E. Haynes	....	driver

Production Companies

• Ctrl Z Films
• Rizoma Films (co-production)
• Pandora Filmproduktion (co-production)
• Ibermedia (in association with)
• Montevideo Socio Audiovisual (in association with)
• IDTV Film

Distributors

• Film Movement (2009) (USA) (theatrical) (subtitled)
• Filmmuseum Distributie (2009) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Neue Visionen Filmverleih (2009) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Océan Films (2011) (France) (theatrical)
• Primer Plano Film Group (2010) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• Golem Distribución (2009) (Spain) (all media)
• Imovision (2009) (Brazil) (all media)
• Midas Filmes (2010) (Portugal) (all media)
• Orlando Films (2009) (Israel) (all media)
• good movies! (2010) (Germany) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Filmstiftung Nordrhein-Westfalen  funding
• World Cinema Fund  funding

Also Known As:

"Giant" - International (English title)
"Gigante" - Brazil, Portugal (imdb display title)
"Gigante" - Poland
"Gigante" - Greece (festival title)

Runtime:

Argentina:84 min | Germany:84 min (Berlin International Film Festival) | USA:84 min

Country:

Uruguay | Argentina | Germany | Spain | Netherlands

Language:

Spanish

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Argentina:Atp | Brazil:12 | Netherlands:12 | Portugal:M/12

Company:

Ctrl Z Films

masterpiece of low-scale artistic cinema

Coming from Uruguay Gigante is a masterpiece of low-scale artistic cinema. How this slight story about a metal-loving night security guard stalking the girl of his dreams turned out to be my favorite romantic movie of 2009 lies within its refreshing approach artfully implemented with a dead-pan precision and confidence. Gigante's director Adrien Binez uses the voyeuristic tone of the movie not to oppress viewers, but to enchant them. The movie happens to be sweet when we watch Jara, a large, quiet soul following Julia, an accident-prone cleaner wherever she goes and whatever she does. It abounds with numerous wonderfully observed scenes that abandon the dialogue almost entirely. My favorite scene involves visiting the cinema where Jara has difficulty deciding which movie has been chosen by his love-interest, a love story or a horror movie about a mutant. Guess which one it was. As regards acting, Horacio Camandule provides a sharp and totally likable performance, while Leonor Svarcas is convincing even though her part is limited. Overall, Gigante may be too slow-paced for some, but for me it happens to be an endlessly engrossing miracle of a movie. 9/10 (A-)