Marcelo Birmajer
Encyclopedia
Marcelo Birmajer is an Argentine
Jewish author. The grandson of Romania
n, Polish
, Lithuania
n and Syria
n immigrants. Best known for writing the script for the 2004 film El abrazo partido
. Birmajer's work usually revolves around the Porteño
neighbourhood of Once
and its colorful inhabitants. Most stories feature Jewish characters, and he frequently uses for them the names Javier, or Mordejai depending on the character's level of religious observance. He also addresses Jewish issues such as synagogue
attendance, Bar Mitzvah
s, and the ever present alternative to immigrate to Israel
.
Other recurrent subjects are marriage life
, especially in his series "Stories of married men" , and the Argentine society and its crisis. Many of Birmajer's works have clear autobiographical
lines, presenting a main character who is himself a writer
. An important part of his bibliography, specially in his beginnings, is youth literature
.
Birmajer is a frequent contributor to many newspapers throughout the Spanish speaking world.
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...
Jewish author. The grandson of Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
n, Polish
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
, Lithuania
Lithuania
Lithuania , officially the Republic of Lithuania is a country in Northern Europe, the biggest of the three Baltic states. It is situated along the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea, whereby to the west lie Sweden and Denmark...
n and Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
n immigrants. Best known for writing the script for the 2004 film El abrazo partido
El abrazo partido
Lost Embrace is an Argentine, French, Italian, and Spanish comedy drama film, directed by Daniel Burman and written by Burman and Marcelo Birmajer...
. Birmajer's work usually revolves around the Porteño
Porteño
Porteño in Spanish is used to refer to a person who is from or lives in a port city, but it can also be used as an adjective for anything related to those port cities....
neighbourhood of Once
Balvanera
Balvanera is a neighborhood of Buenos Aires, Argentina.-Origin of Name and Alternative Names:The official name, Balvanera, is the name of the parroquia centered around the church of Nuestra Señora de Balvanera, erected in 1831.The zone around Corrientes avenue is known as Once after Plaza Once de...
and its colorful inhabitants. Most stories feature Jewish characters, and he frequently uses for them the names Javier, or Mordejai depending on the character's level of religious observance. He also addresses Jewish issues such as synagogue
Synagogue
A synagogue is a Jewish house of prayer. This use of the Greek term synagogue originates in the Septuagint where it sometimes translates the Hebrew word for assembly, kahal...
attendance, Bar Mitzvah
B'nai Mitzvah
Bar Mitzvah and Bat Mitzvah are Jewish coming of age rituals. According to Jewish law, when Jewish boys reach 13, they become responsible for their actions and become a Bar Mitzvah . The age for girls is 12...
s, and the ever present alternative to immigrate to Israel
Aliyah
Aliyah is the immigration of Jews to the Land of Israel . It is a basic tenet of Zionist ideology. The opposite action, emigration from Israel, is referred to as yerida . The return to the Holy Land has been a Jewish aspiration since the Babylonian exile...
.
Other recurrent subjects are marriage life
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
, especially in his series "Stories of married men" , and the Argentine society and its crisis. Many of Birmajer's works have clear autobiographical
Autobiography
An autobiography is a book about the life of a person, written by that person.-Origin of the term:...
lines, presenting a main character who is himself a writer
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
. An important part of his bibliography, specially in his beginnings, is youth literature
Youth literature
Youth literature may refer to:* Young adult literature* Children's literature...
.
Birmajer is a frequent contributor to many newspapers throughout the Spanish speaking world.