Jorge Polaco
Encyclopedia
Jorge Polaco is an Argentine filmmaker whose film, En el nombre del hijo, won best film at the Festróia - Tróia International Film Festival.
myth. It was followed by En el nombre del hijo (1987), a film about a disturbed doll repairer and his possessive mother, for which he won a Golden Dolphin at the Festróia - Tróia International Film Festival in 1988. All of his early films star fetish actress Margot Moreyra as the character Margotita.
In 1989 Polaco made his most famous and controversial film, Kindergarten
, starring Graciela Borges
, Arturo Puig
and Luisa Vehil
. The film sparked controversy due to its perceived mistreatment of child actor
s (the protagonist, an eleven year-old, spends most of his screen-time naked), as well as a number of censored scenes: an adult woman and a child take a bath together, the same woman later on makes suggestive advances on the child, plus the inclusion of an unrelated, explicit oral sex
scene. The movie was banned from theaters one day short of release and a prolonged trial ensued over eight years, emotionally devastating Polaco and his fellow workmen. The film remains unreleased in Argentina. It has gained notoriety as being the first film to be censored by the government following the end of the Dirty War
in 1983.
Polaco remained active nonetheless, filming Siempre es difícil volver a casa
(1992), his first major studio production featuring A-list actors, and La dama regresa (1996), which served as a comeback vehicle for retired actress Isabel Sarli
.
Polaco retreated from directing for a period of time. 2001 saw his comeback, making the short film El milagro with famed ballet dancer Julio Bocca
, contributing to the anthology film Historias de Argentina en vivo (amongst Adrian Caetano, Marcelo Piñeyro
, Bruno Stagnaro
and Vicentico
) and directing another feature length movie, Viaje por el cuerpo, for which he was nominated for Best Screenplay and Best Art Direction at the Argentinean Film Critics Association Awards, and won a Golden Apple at the New York LaCinemaFe.
After some time working on it, Polaco gave up on the project of a modern adaptation of Herman Hesse's Siddharta
. In 2007 he made the short film A Berta Singerman. In 2009 he teamed once more with Isabel Sarli
and made the feature film Arroz con leche, yet to be released. Polaco is currently lobbying for releasing his Kindergarten in Argentine theaters for the first time since its creation over 20 years ago.
Career
After directing the short film Margotita (1984) Polaco made his feature film debut with Diapasón (1986), a modern retelling of the PygmalionPygmalion (mythology)
Pygmalion is a legendary figure of Cyprus. Though Pygmalion is the Greek version of the Phoenician royal name Pumayyaton, he is most familiar from Ovid's Metamorphoses, X, in which Pygmalion was a sculptor who fell in love with a statue he had carved.-In Ovid:In Ovid's narrative, Pygmalion was a...
myth. It was followed by En el nombre del hijo (1987), a film about a disturbed doll repairer and his possessive mother, for which he won a Golden Dolphin at the Festróia - Tróia International Film Festival in 1988. All of his early films star fetish actress Margot Moreyra as the character Margotita.
In 1989 Polaco made his most famous and controversial film, Kindergarten
Kindergarten (film)
Kindergarten is a 1989 Argentine movie directed by Jorge Polaco, based on Asher Benatar's novel. It stars Graciela Borges, Arturo Puig and Luisa Vehil. It was banned from theaters one day short of its release and has remained unreleased in Argentina for over 20 years.- Plot :The movie focuses on...
, starring Graciela Borges
Graciela Borges
Graciela Borges is an Argentine television and film actress.She has been working in the Argentine cinema and television since her first role in the film Zafra ....
, Arturo Puig
Arturo Puig
Arturo Puig is an Argentine theatre, television and motion picture actor.-Cinema:* Los Muchachos de mi barrio * El Veraneo de los Campanelli * He nacido en la ribera * Me gusta esa chica...
and Luisa Vehil
Luisa Vehil
Luisa Vehil was an Uruguayan theater and movie actress who had a notable career in Argentina...
. The film sparked controversy due to its perceived mistreatment of child actor
Child actor
The term child actor or child actress is generally applied to a child acting in motion pictures or television, but also to an adult who began his or her acting career as a child; to avoid confusion, the latter is also called a former child actor...
s (the protagonist, an eleven year-old, spends most of his screen-time naked), as well as a number of censored scenes: an adult woman and a child take a bath together, the same woman later on makes suggestive advances on the child, plus the inclusion of an unrelated, explicit oral sex
Oral sex
Oral sex is sexual activity involving the stimulation of the genitalia of a sex partner by the use of the mouth, tongue, teeth or throat. Cunnilingus refers to oral sex performed on females while fellatio refer to oral sex performed on males. Anilingus refers to oral stimulation of a person's anus...
scene. The movie was banned from theaters one day short of release and a prolonged trial ensued over eight years, emotionally devastating Polaco and his fellow workmen. The film remains unreleased in Argentina. It has gained notoriety as being the first film to be censored by the government following the end of the 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...
in 1983.
Polaco remained active nonetheless, filming Siempre es difícil volver a casa
Siempre es difícil volver a casa
Siempre es difícil volver a casa is a 1992 Argentine movie directed by Jorge Polaco, who loosely adapted Antonio Dal Masetto's homonymous novel. Dal Masetto was reportedly unhappy with the final result...
(1992), his first major studio production featuring A-list actors, and La dama regresa (1996), which served as a comeback vehicle for retired actress Isabel Sarli
Isabel Sarli
Isabel Sarli is a retired Argentine actress, and model. She was a national sex-symbol of the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s.Born Hilda Isabel Sarli Gorrindo Tito in Concordia, Entre Ríos Province, Sarli was nicknamed "Coca Sarli", which comes from either her Coke-bottle-shaped figure, or from her...
.
Polaco retreated from directing for a period of time. 2001 saw his comeback, making the short film El milagro with famed ballet dancer Julio Bocca
Julio Bocca
Julio Bocca is one of the most important ballet dancers of the later part of the 20th century and arguably the most important Argentine dancer of all time....
, contributing to the anthology film Historias de Argentina en vivo (amongst Adrian Caetano, 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...
, Bruno Stagnaro
Bruno Stagnaro
Bruno Stagnaro is a film and television director, producer and screenplay writer. He has acted a few times.He works mainly in the cinema of Argentina.-Filmography:* Guarisove, los olvidados...
and Vicentico
Vicentico
Gabriel Julio Fernández Capello is a musician and composer better known by his stage name Vicentico. Co-founder and vocalist of the band Los Fabulosos Cadillacs along with Flavio Cianciarulo...
) and directing another feature length movie, Viaje por el cuerpo, for which he was nominated for Best Screenplay and Best Art Direction at the Argentinean Film Critics Association Awards, and won a Golden Apple at the New York LaCinemaFe.
After some time working on it, Polaco gave up on the project of a modern adaptation of Herman Hesse's Siddharta
Siddhartha (novel)
Siddhartha is a novel by Hermann Hesse that deals with the spiritual journey of an Indian man named Siddhartha during the time of the Buddha.The book, Hesse's ninth novel , was written in German, in a simple, powerful, and lyrical style. It was published in the U.S. in 1951 and became influential...
. In 2007 he made the short film A Berta Singerman. In 2009 he teamed once more with Isabel Sarli
Isabel Sarli
Isabel Sarli is a retired Argentine actress, and model. She was a national sex-symbol of the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s.Born Hilda Isabel Sarli Gorrindo Tito in Concordia, Entre Ríos Province, Sarli was nicknamed "Coca Sarli", which comes from either her Coke-bottle-shaped figure, or from her...
and made the feature film Arroz con leche, yet to be released. Polaco is currently lobbying for releasing his Kindergarten in Argentine theaters for the first time since its creation over 20 years ago.
Filmography
- 1984 - Margotita
- 1986 - Diapasón (Tuning Fork)
- 1987 - En el nombre del hijoEn el nombre del hijo (film)En el nombre del hijo is a 1987 Argentine movie written and directed by Jorge Polaco. It won a Golden Dolphin in the 1988 Festróia - Tróia International Film Festival.- Plot :...
(In the Name of the Son) - 1989 - KindergartenKindergarten (film)Kindergarten is a 1989 Argentine movie directed by Jorge Polaco, based on Asher Benatar's novel. It stars Graciela Borges, Arturo Puig and Luisa Vehil. It was banned from theaters one day short of its release and has remained unreleased in Argentina for over 20 years.- Plot :The movie focuses on...
- 1992 - Siempre es difícil volver a casaSiempre es difícil volver a casaSiempre es difícil volver a casa is a 1992 Argentine movie directed by Jorge Polaco, who loosely adapted Antonio Dal Masetto's homonymous novel. Dal Masetto was reportedly unhappy with the final result...
(It's Always Hard to Return Home) - 1996 - La dama regresa (The Lady Returns)
- 2001 - El milagro (The Miracle)
- 2001 - Viaje por el cuerpo (Journey Across the Body)
- 2001 - Historias de Argentina en vivo (Live Stories from Argentina)
- 2007 - A Berta Singerman (For Berta Singerman)
- 2009 - Arroz con leche (Rice and Milk)