Keswick Film Club - The Clan

Synopsis

'Based on a True Story' can cover a multitude of sins: The Clan is based on Arquimedes Puccio, an intelligence officer in Argentina's 'Dirty War', who continues 'disappearing' people after democracy returns to Argentina in 1983...but now he does it for money. His family (The Clan of the title), appear to be at the very least, acquiescent - they live in a normal house together with the 'guests' locked in the bathroom...

For those who watched 'The Sopranos' and had mixed feelings getting into the heads of the Mafia, this may help (or hinder) your understanding: "On the one hand, it is uncomfortable to feel so close in proximity to the Puccios as they forcibly disappear their fellow Argentinians. On the other, by cozying up to the kidnappers in The Clan we get closer to the warped thinking that allowed them to tear apart other families while they sat comfortably around the dinner table with theirs" - Julia Cooper, Globe and Mail.

Whilst the film has not won many awards outside Argentina, it has been nominated for many; here, we have had many of Trapero's films ('White Elephant', 'Lion's Den', 'Carancho') so we know how Trapero likes to get into the minds of the characters, rather than staying with the politics...and Arquimedes (Guillermo Francella's) piercing eyes will stay with you long after you get home...