Aída Bortnik
Encyclopedia
Aída Bortnik is an Argentine
screenwriter
, nominated for an Academy Award for her work in the film La historia oficial (1985).
the screenplay for The Truce
(1974), based on the eponymous novel by Mario Benedetti
. It was the first Argentine film to be nominated for an Academy Award (the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film) in 1975, but lost out to Federico Fellini
's Amarcord
. That year, Bortnik co-wrote Una mujer, directed by Juan José Stagnaro.
After a three-year break, Bortnik worked one more time with Renán in writing a screenplay in 1977 for Haroldo Conti's novel, Crecer de golpe. She then co-wrote La isla (1979) with director Alejandro Doria
. During the 80s, Bortnik would collaborate with such mini-series as Hombres en pugna, Ruggero and Los gringos. In 1982, Bortnik took sole credit for the first time for David Lipszyc's Volver.
In 1985 Bortnik co-wrote with writer-director Luis Puenzo
a screenplay for a film about the Argentine Dirty War
, which had recently ceased. The film denounced the atrocities of the military regime and made the brutal dictatorships known worldwide. It also reunited Héctor Alterio and Norma Aleandro
in starring roles, both of whom had acted in The Truce. The film won the Academy Awards
in 1986, and earned Bortnik a nomination for Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen, shared with Puenzo. That year, Bortnik co-wrote Pobre mariposa with director Raúl de la Torre.
In 1989, Bortnik helped Puenzo write the screenplay for Carlos Fuentes
' novel Old Gringo
. The film was a USA production, the first (and to date, last) foreign project in which Bortnik was involved. It starred Gregory Peck
, Jane Fonda
and Jimmy Smits
.
During the 90s, Bortnik worked strictly with newcomer writer/director Marcelo Piñeyro
, who had served as executive produced to . Bortnik helped Piñeyro write the screenplays for Tango feroz: la leyenda de Tanguito (1993), Caballos salvajes (1995) and Cenizas del Paraíso (1997), a loose trilogy that starred all three old colleague Héctor Alterio and Leonardo Sbaraglia
.
Aída has since renewed her working relationship with Sergio Renán and co-written (2002). Her last work was as an occasional writer for the series (starring Alterio, his son Ernesto Alterio
and Eduardo Blanco
) in 2006. Bortnik is currently writing the screenplay for , set to be released in 2008. The film is based on the life of Azucena Villaflor de Vicenti, a human rights activist who founded the Mothers of Plaza de Mayo, a group of Argentine mothers that fought against their country's military dictatorship during the Dirty War. This supposes her return to the Dirty War subject matter that earned her recognition.
Demographics of Argentina
This article is about the demographic features of Argentina, including population density, ethnicity, economic status and other aspects of the population....
screenwriter
Screenwriter
Screenwriters or scriptwriters or scenario writers are people who write/create the short or feature-length screenplays from which mass media such as films, television programs, Comics or video games are based.-Profession:...
, nominated for an Academy Award for her work in the film La historia oficial (1985).
Career
After starting out as a TV-screenwriter in 1971, Bortnik co-wrote with débutant director Sergio RenánSergio Renán
Sergio Renán is an Argentine actor, film director and screenwriter.Born in Buenos Aires in 1933, Renán became an accomplished violinist in his teens and, following a minor film role in Mario Soffici's 1951 drama Pasó en mi barrio , he joined the theatre as an actor and continued to appear in...
the screenplay for The Truce
The Truce (1974 film)
The Truce is a 1974 Argentine film directed by Sergio Renán and co-written with Aída Bortnik, based on the eponymous novel by Mario Benedetti...
(1974), based on the eponymous novel by Mario Benedetti
Mario Benedetti
Mario Benedetti was an Uruguayan journalist, novelist, and poet....
. It was the first Argentine film to be nominated for an Academy Award (the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film) in 1975, but lost out to Federico Fellini
Federico Fellini
Federico Fellini, Cavaliere di Gran Croce OMRI , was an Italian film director and scriptwriter. Known for a distinct style that blends fantasy and baroque images, he is considered one of the most influential and widely revered filmmakers of the 20th century...
's Amarcord
Amarcord
Amarcord is a 1973 Italian comedy-drama film directed by Federico Fellini, a semi-autobiographical coming-of-age tale about Titta, an adolescent boy growing up among an eccentric cast of characters in the fictional town of Borgo in 1930s Fascist Italy...
. That year, Bortnik co-wrote Una mujer, directed by Juan José Stagnaro.
After a three-year break, Bortnik worked one more time with Renán in writing a screenplay in 1977 for Haroldo Conti's novel, Crecer de golpe. She then co-wrote La isla (1979) with director Alejandro Doria
Alejandro Doria
Alejandro Doria was a noted Argentine cinema and television director.-Life and work:Born in Buenos Aires in 1936, he first worked for Argentine television in 1965 as a writer for a local variety show, Show rambler....
. During the 80s, Bortnik would collaborate with such mini-series as Hombres en pugna, Ruggero and Los gringos. In 1982, Bortnik took sole credit for the first time for David Lipszyc's Volver.
In 1985 Bortnik co-wrote with writer-director Luis Puenzo
Luis Puenzo
Luis Adalberto Puenzo is an Argentine film director, producer and screenplay writer.He works mainly in the cinema of Argentina, but has also worked in the United States.-Biography:...
a screenplay for a film about the Argentine Dirty War
Dirty War
The Dirty War was a period of state-sponsored violence in Argentina from 1976 until 1983. Victims of the violence included several thousand left-wing activists, including trade unionists, students, journalists, Marxists, Peronist guerrillas and alleged sympathizers, either proved or suspected...
, which had recently ceased. The film denounced the atrocities of the military regime and made the brutal dictatorships known worldwide. It also reunited Héctor Alterio and Norma Aleandro
Norma Aleandro
Norma Aleandro Robledo is an Argentine actress and screenwriter, born in Buenos Aires to Pedro Aleandro and María Luisa Robledo, both actors. Her sister, María Vaner, was a famous actress in Argentina.- Life and career :...
in starring roles, both of whom had acted in The Truce. The film won the Academy Awards
Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film
The Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film is one of the Academy Awards of Merit, popularly known as the Oscars, handed out annually by the U.S.-based Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences...
in 1986, and earned Bortnik a nomination for Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen, shared with Puenzo. That year, Bortnik co-wrote Pobre mariposa with director Raúl de la Torre.
In 1989, Bortnik helped Puenzo write the screenplay for Carlos Fuentes
Carlos Fuentes
Carlos Fuentes Macías is a Mexican writer and one of the best-known living novelists and essayists in the Spanish-speaking world. He has influenced contemporary Latin American literature, and his works have been widely translated into English and other languages.-Biography:Fuentes was born in...
' novel Old Gringo
Old Gringo
Old Gringo is a 1989 film directed by Luis Puenzo and co-written with Aída Bortnik, based on the novel Gringo Viejo by Mexican novelist Carlos Fuentes.The film stars Jane Fonda, Gregory Peck, and Jimmy Smits....
. The film was a USA production, the first (and to date, last) foreign project in which Bortnik was involved. It starred Gregory Peck
Gregory Peck
Eldred Gregory Peck was an American actor.One of 20th Century Fox's most popular film stars from the 1940s to the 1960s, Peck continued to play important roles well into the 1980s. His notable performances include that of Atticus Finch in the 1962 film To Kill a Mockingbird, for which he won an...
, Jane Fonda
Jane Fonda
Jane Fonda is an American actress, writer, political activist, former fashion model, and fitness guru. She rose to fame in the 1960s with films such as Barbarella and Cat Ballou. She has won two Academy Awards and received several other movie awards and nominations during more than 50 years as an...
and Jimmy Smits
Jimmy Smits
Jimmy Smits is an American actor. Smits is perhaps best known for his roles as attorney Victor Sifuentes on the 1980s legal drama L.A. Law, as NYPD Detective Bobby Simone on the 1990s police drama NYPD Blue, and as Congressman Matt Santos on The West Wing...
.
During the 90s, Bortnik worked strictly with newcomer writer/director Marcelo Piñeyro
Marcelo Piñeyro
Marcelo Piñeyro is an Argentine award-winning film director, screenwriter, and film producer.-Biography:Born in Buenos Aires, Piñeyro studied cinematography at the University of La Plata's School of Fine Arts...
, who had served as executive produced to . Bortnik helped Piñeyro write the screenplays for Tango feroz: la leyenda de Tanguito (1993), Caballos salvajes (1995) and Cenizas del Paraíso (1997), a loose trilogy that starred all three old colleague Héctor Alterio and Leonardo Sbaraglia
Leonardo Sbaraglia
Leonardo Máximo Sbaraglia is a prominent Argentine film actor, with extensive credits in both Argentina and Spain.He has also worked in Mexico, and was cast in his first English-language role in Red Lights.-Life and work:...
.
Aída has since renewed her working relationship with Sergio Renán and co-written (2002). Her last work was as an occasional writer for the series (starring Alterio, his son Ernesto Alterio
Ernesto Alterio
Ernesto Alterio is an Argentine-born Spanish film and television actor, son of Héctor Alterio and brother of Malena Alterio....
and Eduardo Blanco
Eduardo Blanco
Eduardo Blanco may refer to:*Eduardo Blanco , Spanish/Argentine actor*Eduardo Blanco , Venezuelan history writer and politician...
) in 2006. Bortnik is currently writing the screenplay for , set to be released in 2008. The film is based on the life of Azucena Villaflor de Vicenti, a human rights activist who founded the Mothers of Plaza de Mayo, a group of Argentine mothers that fought against their country's military dictatorship during the Dirty War. This supposes her return to the Dirty War subject matter that earned her recognition.
Trivia
- She is credited with a "thanks" in The Emperor's New Clothes.
- Has the notable distinction of having written the screenplay for both the first Argentine film nominated for an Academy Award (The Truce, 1974) and the first Argentine film to win an Academy Award (, 1985).