A Useful Life (Spanish: La vida útil) is a 2010 Uruguayan drama film about the love of film, directed by Federico Veiroj and shot in black-and-white.[1] The film was selected as the Uruguayan entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 83rd Academy Awards[2] but it did not make the final shortlist.[3]
| A Useful Life | |
|---|---|
 The Spanish language cinema poster | |
| Directed by | Federico Veiroj |
| Written by | Federico Veiroj Gonzalo Delgado Inés Bortagaray Arauco Hernández Holz |
| Produced by | Federico Veiroj |
| Starring | Jorge Jellinek |
| Cinematography | Arauco Hernández Holz |
| Edited by | Federico Veiroj Arauco Hernández Holz |
| Music by | Leo Masliah & Macunaíma Eduardo Fabini |
Production companies | |
Release date |
|
Running time | 67 minutes |
| Countries | Uruguay Spain |
| Language | Spanish |
Plot
editSet in Montevideo's legendary Cinemateca Uruguaya, it is the story about the closure of a cinematheque with the same name due to financial difficulties, and how it affects its film loving middle manager Jorge (played by film critic-turned-actor Jorge Jellinek[4]), who has worked there for 25 years. At first he is overwhelmed by the prospect of having no profession or purpose, and drifts around in Montevideo. But eventually he realises that nothing can kill his love for film, so he ends the day by taking his love interest to the cinema.
Although the story is fiction, Cinemateca Uruguaya, which celebrated 50 years in 2012, is besieged by financial problems, and its director Manuel Martínez Carril agreed to play himself in the film.[5]
Cast
edit- Jorge Jellinek as Jorge
- Manuel Martinez Carril as Martínez
- Paola Venditto as Paola
Awards
edit- Istanbul Film Festival - Special Jury Prize ex-aequo[6]
- Havana Film Festival/New Latin American Cinema of La Havana - Coral Grand Prize, Best Film[7]
- Warsaw International Film Festival - Special Mention[8]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "San Sebastián Film Festival". Telegraph. London. 27 September 2010. Retrieved 10 August 2011.
- ^ "And the Hopefuls for Best Foreign Oscar Are ..." thewrap. Retrieved 10 October 2010.
- ^ "9 Foreign Language Films Continue to Oscar Race". oscars.org. Retrieved 19 January 2011.
- ^ The Guardian, 15 January 2012: A Useful Life – review Linked 25 October 2013
- ^ Indiwire: A Useful Life Linked 25 October 2013
- ^ "The 30th Istanbul Film Festival Concludes". ftnnews. Retrieved 10 August 2011.
- ^ "'A Useful Life' Wins 32nd Havana Film Festival". businessinsider. Retrieved 10 August 2011.
- ^ "26th Warsaw Film Festival - Summary". wff.pl. Retrieved 10 August 2011.
External links
edit- A Useful Life at IMDb
- Indiwire: A Useful Life Linked 2013-10-25