Un cuento chino (2011)

Director:

Sebastián Borensztein

Writer:

Sebastián Borensztein (written by)

Release Date:

24 March 2011 (Argentina)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

In Buenos Aires, the bitter and methodic Roberto is a lonely man and the owner of a hardware store....

Plot Keywords:

Chinese | Argentina | Cow | Friendship | Accidental Death

Awards:

5 wins & 11 nominations

Cast

Ricardo Darín	...	Roberto
Muriel Santa Ana	...	Mari
Ignacio Huang	...	Jun
Enric Cambray	...	Roberto as a Young Man (as Enric Rodríguez)
Iván Romanelli	...	Leonel
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Joaquín Bouzas	...	Cliente 2
Julia Castelló Agulló	...	Italian Lover
Gustavo Comini	...	Chofer volquete
Vivian El Javer	...	Rosa
Javier Pinto	...	Italian Lover
Derli Prada	...	Proveedor 1
Pablo Seijo	...	Cliente 1

Directed by
Sebastián Borensztein

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Sebastián Borensztein		written by

Produced by
Mariela Besuievski	....	executive producer
Pablo Bossi	....	producer
Juan Pablo Buscarini	....	producer
Josean Gómez	....	line producer
Gerardo Herrero	....	producer
Axel Kuschevatzky	....	producer
Marcelo La Torre	....	line producer
Carlos Mentasti	....	associate producer
Ben Odell	....	producer
Isabel García Peralta	....	co-producer

Original Music by
Lucio Godoy		(original music by)

Cinematography by
Rolo Pulpeiro

Film Editing by
Pablo Barbieri Carrera
Fernando Pardo

Art Direction by
Laura Musso

Set Decoration by
Laura Musso

Makeup Department
Kenyar Padilla	....	hair stylist

Production Management
Maria Vacas	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Angie Paul	....	second assistant director
Jaume Quiles	....	second assistant director
Maria Alejandra Uz	....	assistant director

Art Department
Ángel Sarrión	....	set dresser

Sound Department
Vicente D'Elia	....	sound mixer
Eduardo Esquide	....	sound
Diego Garrido	....	sound re-recording mixer
Mario González	....	mixer assistant
Sergio González	....	assistant sound editor
Felix Rost	....	adr recordist
Carlos Schmukler	....	supervising sound editor
Ricardo Viñas	....	dolby sound consultant

Visual Effects by
Patricio Barreiro	....	digital compositor
Juan Jose Elias	....	visual effects supervisor
Ferran Piquer	....	digital intermediate supervisor
Alejandro Valente	....	post production director
Alejandro Valente	....	visual effects supervisor

Camera and Electrical Department
Fernando Blanc	....	focus puller
Miguel Caram	....	additional camera operator
Javier Portabales	....	electrician
Jorge Tristan	....	grip
Gustavo Triviño	....	steadicam operator

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Alejandra Albert	....	seamstress assistant
Angela Ortuño	....	costume assistant

Editorial Department
Laura Giménez	....	assistant editor
Sanchez Nerina	....	colorist
Sanchez Nerina	....	on-line editor
Nerina Sanchez	....	colorist
Nerina Sanchez	....	on-line editor

Music Department
Dario Eskenazi	....	composer: additional music

Other crew
Aitana Sánchez	....	production coordinator

Production Companies

• Aliwood Mediterráneo Producciones (in association with)
• Castafiore Films (in association with)
• Gloriamundi Films (in association with)
• Instituto Nacional de Cine y Artes Audiovisuales (INCAA) (support)
• Instituto de Crédito Oficial (ICO) (financed by)
• Instituto de la Cinematografía y de las Artes Audiovisuales (ICAA) (support)
• Pampa Film
• Royal Cinema Group (in association with)
• Televisión Federal (Telefe)
• Tornasol Films

Distributors

• Eurozoom (2012) (France) (theatrical)
• Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures (2011) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• Alta Classics (2011) (Spain) (all media)
• Archibald Enterprise Film (2011) (Italy) (all media)
• Ascot Elite Entertainment Group (2011) (Germany) (all media)
• Ascot Elite Entertainment Group (2011) (Switzerland) (all media)
• Rialto Entertainment (2011) (Australia) (all media)
• Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment (2011) (Argentina) (DVD)

Also Known As:

"Chinese Take-Away" - International (English title) (imdb display title)
"Um Conto Chinês" - Brazil (imdb display title), Portugal (imdb display title)
"Chinese zum Mitnehmen" - Germany (imdb display title)
"Cosa Piove dal Cielo?" - Italy (imdb display title)
"Cosa piove dal cielo?" - Italy (imdb display title)
"El Chino" - France (imdb display title)

Runtime:

Argentina:93 min

Country:

Argentina | Spain

Language:

Spanish | Mandarin

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Argentina:Atp | Switzerland:10 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:10 (canton of Vaud)

Filming Locations:

Buenos Aires, Federal District, Argentina

Company:

Aliwood Mediterráneo Producciones

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Estrenos Críticos: El episodio que va a contrarreloj (#1.4)" (2011)

Beautiful and touching story

I really enjoyed this Argentinian comedy-drama movie about a solitary man that aids an indigent Chinese man that arrives in his country and speaks no word of Spanish! It's quite a beautiful and touching story mostly because of the way it develops and helps both men finding their way to happiness. It's told in the beginning that this story is based on true events. If so, it's even better and interesting.

Roberto (played by Ricardo Darín) is a solitary man that lives in a poor house and owns a small shop. He's very methodic and has some strange habits and hobbies. For instance, he shuts down the light before sleep everyday on 23pm, o'clock, on the precise second (!) and collects bizarre and absurd true stories he cuts from newspapers (I also appreciated the way those stories are told in the film: Roberto imagines the story as he was there and assumes the character of that little story, like Amélie Poulain in AMÉLIE ). But his live is not easy. He's afraid to release his feelings and emotions and he's very closed and linked to the past. At the same time he's very honest, has a strong personality and is a person with great moral values. Precisely what will make him rescue Juan, the lost Chinese man (played by Ignacio Huang) and help him against everything, even other Chinese people, who are unwilling to aid Juan… (by the way it's hilarious the scene when they go to a Chinese neighborhood in Buenos Aires and when Juan starts speaking in Chinese, to his compatriot, the other man says in Spanish – "I don't understand him!! He's talking in Cantonese and I speak Mandarin! It's a different language!" AHAH! Of course he's right but the situation is hilarious and priceless!). So, it's for this man, with such noble character, that Mari (Muriel Santa Ana), a friend and neighbor of Roberto, will fall in love. But he seems to not care, he seems to be afraid of her… or maybe he's just afraid of himself… However, helping Juan Roberto will help himself too as we will see in the end of the film. I don't use to appreciate beautiful and happy endings but here I did! I really enjoyed the way this film ended, especially because what it meant to Roberto and to the way his life turned around!

This film is delicious by its humor, its drama and also because of all those little circumstances portrayed, that can really happen to every one of us and change our lives!