“And the winner … may God bless you …!” The official story!It was on March 24, 1986, the tenth anniversary of the civil-military coup in Argentina, and Norma Alandro could not fully believe that inside the envelope that she had just torn from her nerves was a confirmation that Luis Buenozo had won the Hollywood Oscar for Best Foreign Film, the first To national cinema. “At the same time that I am here, on this stage, I accept that honor,” Buenzo said in English, with the little statue in his hands. But remember that on March 24, ten years ago today, we suffered a coup The last military in our country… We will never forget that nightmare, but now we have started dreaming of new dreams Thank you.
In the Dorothy Chandler booth, it was exactly 28 at night (twenty-one in Buenos Aires, where the Oscars always arrive late), but the Argentinian journalists who were 35 years ago covering the concert in Los Angeles watched it on TV, just like anyone Almost. Neither the National Film Institute, which was headed at the time by Manuel Antin, nor the Boenzo production company, Cinemanía, had succeeded in positioning us in the sector devoted to journalism. And much less in the stalls, where we also did not have suitable clothes. So, the impromptu press room was in the apartment of Argentine distributor Peter Marray, where Adolfo Aristarin also stopped, at that time in Hollywood to look for locations for a movie that was shot there the following year and was named the stranger.
The clamor was all-out, but the logistical problems started there. There were no cell phones, no computers, no internet, not even a fax. With the so-called “telex” card that the newspaper presented, there was no place to present it. The only solution was to return to the hotel on Sunset Boulevard, which at the time was more like a Ross Macdonald crime novel than a lavish street at the time of the movie with Gloria Swanson, dictating the note over the phone (strictly a call to gather), to some supportive colleagues who were writing it in Writing Reason, On General Hornos Street.
A few hours later, at the house the Boenso family rented in the hills of West Hollywood and where the award is still being celebrated (the then kids Lucia, Esteban, and Nicholas sang “Happy Birthday”), the director admitted that, at the climax, he thought he hadn’t won. I was so nervous that when Norma said, “God bless you,” I understood Coronel Riddle. I thought the Hungarian movie had won … ”
In fact, István Szabó was considered the most difficult contender, despite the fact that they also competed in the same category. Dad went on a business tripFrom Yugoslavia (now Serbian), Prince of Kusturica, A bitter harvest, By Polish Agnieszka Holland, and Three men and a bottleBy Frenchman Colin Serio. At the Buenos Aires home, they are still shocked by the reaction of the French delegation in the room, which, as soon as the award was announced, rose from their seats and left upset. Instead, Szabó came to congratulate, and according to some yellowed scraps, he said Reason: “I knew the Argentinian movie would be the winner. I loved it. First of all, it is beautifully done. Norma Allandro is a great actress. After that, the movie revolves around a very sensitive political issue. I think it is very important today in the United States to find out what happened in Argentina. Moreover, it’s a movie that plays well with emotion and the audience loves it. ”
The next morning, huge billboards appeared with posters Violet That littered the streets and highways of Los Angeles was already dismantled at full speed. Steven Spielberg’s film, which made it to the party the night before with eleven nominations, didn’t even win any award. I was humiliated before Africa is my countryBy Sydney Pollack, which collected seven figurines. Capitalism does not allow itself to waste a minute (not a dollar) more than necessary. And defeat is not paying off.
While Boyenzo, now with Oscar endorsement, came forward in his conversations with Jane Fonda to shoot the novel Gringo is oldBy Carlos Fuentes (at that time it was believed that the protagonist would be Paul Newman, then he ended up becoming Gregory Peck), President Raul Alphonsín’s message reached Los Angeles: The official story It will be a special challenge to advance in our common endeavor to achieve Argentina’s peace, justice and freedom that we dream for ourselves and our children. ”Yet, just over a year later, at Easter in 1987, Alfonsín faced the first of the three” Carabinentadas “uprisings. Hollywood’s iconic stage, March 24, 1976 was the last military coup. The nightmare has never been forgotten, and dreams will be new and always will be.
