Tangos, the Exile of Gardel

Tangos, the Exile of Gardel - 2002-10-22. Director: Fernando Solanas. Argentina / France, 1985, Color, 125 minutes. In 1980, Maria, a young Argentine woman residing in Paris, decides to recount the story of her parents' uprooting and exile to Paris. The tragicomic drama that unfolds from this decision is one of the rare cinematic events that should not be missed for any reason. This romantic film, produced as a musical, tells the story of a group of Argentine political exiles, led by Carlos Gardel, who have sought refuge in Paris for political reasons and live in this city. The story revolves around their intention to create a specific type of tango known in Argentina as 'Tango Day.' Tango Day, in addition to showcasing a type of dance, is an innovative style of performing arts that blends tragedy and comedy. From the very first scene, viewers realize that this film aims to overthrow conventional filmmaking traditions and boldly experiments with innovations that are remarkable and original without losing any of its storytelling capability. The film's greatest achievement, at least in the opinion of this exile, is that it has excellently distilled the experience of exile and captured it on celluloid. There are few films that have been able to convey the intensity of the exile experience with such clarity and prominence. At the same time, this film is not only sorrowful and heavy but also, interestingly, light-hearted and joyful through its clever use of Paris's scenic locations. The film begins with a stunning scene of a couple dancing on the Seine River bridge at sunrise and maintains its charm and freshness throughout with bursts of imagination and surrealism, blending it with the ordinary progression of the story.