Verdades verdaderas (Spanish: True Truths), also known as Verdades verdaderas, la vida de Estela (True Truths, the Life of Estela), is a 2011 biographical drama film directed by Nicolás Gil Lavedra in his feature directorial debut. The film, an Argentine–Spanish–Venezuelan co-production, dramatises the life of Estela de Carlotto, the president of the Grandmothers of Plaza de Mayo human rights organisation, focusing on her search for her grandson taken during Argentina's last civil-military dictatorship (1976–1983). It stars Susú Pecoraro as Carlotto, with Alejandro Awada, Rita Cortese, Laura Novoa, Inés Efron and Fernán Mirás in supporting roles.
The film was released theatrically in Argentina on 17 November 2011 and screened at several international festivals, including the Mar del Plata International Film Festival and the Palm Springs International Film Festival. Pecoraro won the Best Actress award at the Viña del Mar International Film Festival for her performance.
Contents
Plot
The film recounts the life of Estela de Carlotto, a schoolteacher and human-rights activist, set against the backdrop of Argentina's last civil-military dictatorship (1976–1983), during which an estimated 30,000 people were disappeared. The narrative follows Carlotto's transformation across decades: from wife and mother to grandmother and activist, as she searches for her daughter Laura, who is kidnapped and killed by the military regime, and for the grandson born in captivity and given to another family. The film traces Carlotto's role in the founding of the Grandmothers of Plaza de Mayo and her long struggle to identify and recover the children of the disappeared.
Cast
Susú Pecoraro as Estela de Carlotto
Alejandro Awada as Guido Carlotto
Laura Novoa as Claudia Carlotto
Fernán Mirás as Kibo Carlotto
Inés Efron as Laura Carlotto
Carlos Portaluppi as Abel
Guadalupe Docampo as Claudia Carlotto (young)
Guido Botto Fiora as Kibo (young)
Martín Salazar as Remo
Nicolás Condito as Remo (young)
Elcida Villagra
Rita Cortese
Flora Ferrari
Alexia Moyano as Exiliada
Production
Verdades verdaderas was the directorial debut of Nicolás Gil Lavedra, son of jurist Ricardo Gil Lavedra, who had served as a judge in the Trial of the Juntas. The screenplay was written by María Laura Gargarella and Jorge Maestro. The film was produced by Fernando Sokolowicz through Aleph Media, with co-production support from Spain and Venezuela and backing from the Instituto Nacional de Cine y Artes Audiovisuales (INCAA), the Spanish ICAA and the Ibermedia programme.
Release
The film premiered in Argentina on 17 November 2011 and was distributed theatrically by Primer Plano Film Group.
It was screened at the following festivals, among others:
20th Biarritz Festival of Latin American Cinema, France – Official Competition, September 2011
56th Seminci (Valladolid), Spain – Official Competition, October 2011
26th Mar del Plata International Film Festival, Argentina – Argentine Competition, November 2011
33rd Havana Film Festival, Cuba – Special Screening, December 2011
23rd Palm Springs International Film Festival, United States – World Cinema, January 2012
28th Festival International du Film d'Amour de Mons, Belgium – February 2012
Les Reflets du Cinéma Ibérique & Latino-Américain, France – March 2012
Rencontres Cinéma d'Amérique Latine de Toulouse, France – Panorama, March 2012
Reception
Awards
23rd Viña del Mar International Film Festival, Chile – Best Lead Actress (Susú Pecoraro), November 2011
18th Mostra de Cinema Llatinoamericà de Catalunya, Spain – Special Jury Mention for Susú Pecoraro and Audience Award, March 2012
2nd International Political Film Festival, Argentina – Argentine Competition, March 2012
7th Muscat International Film Festival, Oman – Bronze Khanjar for Best Film, March 2012
SIGNIS–WACC Human Rights Award, Canada, 2012
Real-life epilogue
Almost three years after the film's release, on 5 August 2014, Estela Barnes de Carlotto announced that she had located her grandson, Guido Montoya Carlotto, who became the 114th grandchild identified through the work of the Grandmothers of Plaza de Mayo.