El Camino de San Diego
Encyclopedia
El camino de San Diego (2006
) is an Argentine
comedy
film, written and directed by Carlos Sorín
. The film features Ignacio Benítez, Carlos Wagner, among others.
The picture tells the story of an Argentine obsessed with fútbol superstar Diego Maradona.
Tati Benitez (Ignacio Benitez), is a young man who lives in the Misiones Province
, and an Argentine lumberjack
who's been laid off at work, now making a living by collecting wood for an artisan named Silva (Miguel Gonzales Colman). Benitez is married to his pregnant wife (Paola Rotela).
Typical of Argentines, Tati is a football fanatic. Tati, is quite quirky and, like many Argentines, is obsessed with the Argentine football player Diego Armando Maradona, who is legendary in Argentina because of his prowess in the World Cup
. He wears a football kit with Maradona's number 10 on it and has a very large 10 tattooed on his back. He even owns two parrots who scream "Maradona" from time to time. His friends joke that Tati is not married to his wife, but to Maradona. In fact, Tati knows every possible statistic of Maradona's career, and has a great deal of knowledge regarding his hero's life.
One day Tati's hears from friends that Maradona is suffering from heart problems, so he decides to go on a quest.
His mission is to deliver an unusual piece of wood to Maradona at the Swiss-Argentine Hospital in Buenos Aires
where he is recuperating. The piece of wood resembles Maradona.
Tati travels by foot, by bus
, and even by ambulance
, to let Maradona feel the dedication
and love of his loyal fan base.
On his way he runs into many adventures.
Carlos Sorín, in neo-realist
fashion, used non-professional actors when he shot the film.
Filming locations
The picture was filmed in: Misiones
, Argentina
.
The picture was presented at the Donostia-San Sebastián International Film Festival, Spain.
The movie has been screened at a few film festivals, including: the Spanish and Latin American Film Festival, Ireland; and others.
, had positive things to say of the picture. He summarized: "Sorín skillfully combines documentary footage of an unreflective, probably self-destructive, Maradona with the scenes involving the young man...sport hasn't been a major theme in Argentine movies, even though it is a significant part of the national identity. Sorín's films highlights the value of his work. In the same way in which we can watch a match from different perspectives depending on where we are seated, The Road to San Diego can be interpreted from various points of view. One has just to choose one of the many perspectives offered by the great filmmaker who is Carlos Sorin."
Deborah Young, writing for Variety
magazine, liked the film and wrote, "Carlos Sorín's delightfully offbeat Road to San Diego, about a young backwoodsman with a Diego Maradona fetish, is another audience-friendly addition to the director's repertoire..."
Nominations
2006 in film
- Highest-grossing films :Please note that following the tradition of the English-language film industry, these are the top-grossing films that were first released in the United States in 2006...
) is an Argentine
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
comedy
Comedy
Comedy , as a popular meaning, is any humorous discourse or work generally intended to amuse by creating laughter, especially in television, film, and stand-up comedy. This must be carefully distinguished from its academic definition, namely the comic theatre, whose Western origins are found in...
film, written and directed by Carlos Sorín
Carlos Sorín
Carlos Sorín is a film director, screenplay writer, cinematographer, and film producer. He works mainly in the cinema of Argentina....
. The film features Ignacio Benítez, Carlos Wagner, among others.
The picture tells the story of an Argentine obsessed with fútbol superstar Diego Maradona.
Plot
Misiones Province
Misiones is one of the 23 provinces of Argentina, located in the northeastern corner of the country in the Mesopotamiсa region. It is surrounded by Paraguay to the northwest, Brazil to the north, east and south, and Corrientes Province of Argentina to the southwest.- History :The province was...
, and an Argentine lumberjack
Lumberjack
A lumberjack is a worker in the logging industry who performs the initial harvesting and transport of trees for ultimate processing into forest products. The term usually refers to a bygone era when hand tools were used in harvesting trees principally from virgin forest...
who's been laid off at work, now making a living by collecting wood for an artisan named Silva (Miguel Gonzales Colman). Benitez is married to his pregnant wife (Paola Rotela).
Typical of Argentines, Tati is a football fanatic. Tati, is quite quirky and, like many Argentines, is obsessed with the Argentine football player Diego Armando Maradona, who is legendary in Argentina because of his prowess in the World Cup
FIFA World Cup
The FIFA World Cup, often simply the World Cup, is an international association football competition contested by the senior men's national teams of the members of Fédération Internationale de Football Association , the sport's global governing body...
. He wears a football kit with Maradona's number 10 on it and has a very large 10 tattooed on his back. He even owns two parrots who scream "Maradona" from time to time. His friends joke that Tati is not married to his wife, but to Maradona. In fact, Tati knows every possible statistic of Maradona's career, and has a great deal of knowledge regarding his hero's life.
One day Tati's hears from friends that Maradona is suffering from heart problems, so he decides to go on a quest.
His mission is to deliver an unusual piece of wood to Maradona at the Swiss-Argentine Hospital in Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
where he is recuperating. The piece of wood resembles Maradona.
Tati travels by foot, by bus
Bus
A bus is a road vehicle designed to carry passengers. Buses can have a capacity as high as 300 passengers. The most common type of bus is the single-decker bus, with larger loads carried by double-decker buses and articulated buses, and smaller loads carried by midibuses and minibuses; coaches are...
, and even by ambulance
Ambulance
An ambulance is a vehicle for transportation of sick or injured people to, from or between places of treatment for an illness or injury, and in some instances will also provide out of hospital medical care to the patient...
, to let Maradona feel the dedication
Dedication
Dedication is the act of consecrating an altar, temple, church or other sacred building. It also refers to the inscription of books or other artifacts when these are specifically addressed or presented to a particular person. This practice, which once was used to gain the patronage and support of...
and love of his loyal fan base.
On his way he runs into many adventures.
Cast
- Ignacio Benítez as Tati Benítez
- Carlos Wagner La Bella as Waguinho
- Paola Rotela as Mujer de Tati
- Silvina Fontelles as Señora Matilde
- Miguel González Colman as Silva, the artisan
- José Armónico as Gauna
- Toti Rivas as El Tolo
- Marisa Córdoba as Mujer del Tolo
- Otto Mosdien as Pastor Otto
- Claudio Uassouf as Cura
- Lila Cáceres as Madre joven
- Pascual Condito as Pascual
- Juan VillegasJuan VillegasJuan Villegas is an Argentine film actor.He won praise for his acting performance in the film El Perro , and was nominated for an Argentine Film Critics Association Awards in 2004.Villegas works in the cinema of Argentina.-Filmography:...
as Photo Shop Owner - Walter Donado as Chofer Ambulancia
- Aníbal Maldonado as Contrabandista
Background
CastingCarlos Sorín, in neo-realist
Neorealism (art)
In art, neorealism was established by the ex-Camden Town Group painters Charles Ginner and Harold Gilman at the beginning of World War I. They set out to explore the spirit of their age through the shapes and colours of daily life...
fashion, used non-professional actors when he shot the film.
Filming locations
The picture was filmed in: Misiones
Misiones Province
Misiones is one of the 23 provinces of Argentina, located in the northeastern corner of the country in the Mesopotamiсa region. It is surrounded by Paraguay to the northwest, Brazil to the north, east and south, and Corrientes Province of Argentina to the southwest.- History :The province was...
, Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
.
Distribution
The film opened in Argentina on September 14, 2006.The picture was presented at the Donostia-San Sebastián International Film Festival, Spain.
The movie has been screened at a few film festivals, including: the Spanish and Latin American Film Festival, Ireland; and others.
Critical reception
Álvaro Sanjurjo Toucon, in a scholarly analysis of the film and Carlos Sorín's other works for FIPRESCIFIPRESCI
The International Federation of Film Critics is an association of national organizations of professional film critics and film journalists from around the world for "the promotion and development of film culture and for the safeguarding of professional interests." It was founded in June 1930 in...
, had positive things to say of the picture. He summarized: "Sorín skillfully combines documentary footage of an unreflective, probably self-destructive, Maradona with the scenes involving the young man...sport hasn't been a major theme in Argentine movies, even though it is a significant part of the national identity. Sorín's films highlights the value of his work. In the same way in which we can watch a match from different perspectives depending on where we are seated, The Road to San Diego can be interpreted from various points of view. One has just to choose one of the many perspectives offered by the great filmmaker who is Carlos Sorin."
Deborah Young, writing for Variety
Variety (magazine)
Variety is an American weekly entertainment-trade magazine founded in New York City, New York, in 1905 by Sime Silverman. With the rise of the importance of the motion-picture industry, Daily Variety, a daily edition based in Los Angeles, California, was founded by Silverman in 1933. In 1998, the...
magazine, liked the film and wrote, "Carlos Sorín's delightfully offbeat Road to San Diego, about a young backwoodsman with a Diego Maradona fetish, is another audience-friendly addition to the director's repertoire..."
Awards
Wins- San Sebastián International Film FestivalSan Sebastián International Film FestivalThe San Sebastián International Film Festival is an annual FIAPF A category film festival held in the Spanish city of San Sebastián .-History:The festival was founded in 1953...
: Special Prize of the Jury; Carlos Sorin; 2006. - Havana Film FestivalHavana Film FestivalThe Havana Film Festival is a Cuban festival that focuses on the promotion of Spanish-language filmmakers. It is also known in Spanish as Festival Internacional del Nuevo Cine Latinoamericano de La Habana, and in English as Festival of New Latinamerican Cinema of La Havana.The festival takes place...
: Grand Coral - Second Prize, Carlos Sorin; 2006.
Nominations
- San Sebastián International Film Festival: Golden Seashell; Carlos Sorin; 2006.
External links
- El camino de San Diego at the cinenacional.comCinenacional.comCinenacional.com is a web portal and web-based database about Argentine cinema.The site provides a vast array of information, including: films, television programs, directors, actors, cinematographers, film editors, production designers, and other production professions in Argentina...
- El camino de San Diego film review at La Nación by Adolfo C. Martínez