Journeys of departure, on screen

Two films, "El exilio de Gardel (Tangos)" and "El abrazo partido," offer poignant explorations of exile, identity, and familial secrets, touching upon the Argentine experience.

"El exilio de Gardel (Tangos)," a 1985 Franco-Argentine co-production directed by Pino Solanas, centers on a group of exiles from Argentina's last dictatorship. Seeking to overcome their profound nostalgia, they endeavor to stage a play titled "Tanguedia." The narrative unfolds through various personal stories, highlighting a generational divide: older exiles grapple with adapting to their new reality, while the younger generation begins to forge their lives, in this instance, in Paris. The film incorporates fantastical elements with "appearances" by historical figures like Gardel and San Martín, complemented by extraordinary music from Astor Piazzolla.

Daniel Burman's 2004 film, "El abrazo partido," tells the story of Ariel, a young man who abandons his architecture studies. He spends his days managing his mother's business in Buenos Aires' Once neighborhood and pursuing Polish citizenship to facilitate a move to Europe. As the grandson of emigrants who is now emigrating himself, Ariel embodies a kind of Argentine karma. His father had left for Israel, with Ariel always told he went to fight in a war. While this was partly true, Ariel later discovers a secret, unrevealed reason behind his father's departure.