Review: The Official Story (La Historia Oficial, 1985) ★★★★

One issue I take with most fictionalized accounts of historical events is that they fail to understand how closely they should match history. There are some that border on documentary, thus distancing themselves from interpretation and disallowing their own creative license. On the other hand, those that use history as a mere tangential element or backdrop for a fictional narrative run the risk of upsetting historical purists and rendering the history largely unnecessary. Some films manage to strike a perfect balance; for example, Schindler’s List (1993) utilizes first-hand accounts of events to inspire its narrative, while also creating a perspective of those events that reflects the director’s own sentiments and intentions. This style actually enhances the dramatic and horrific elements of the story, thus making the history that much more impactful for audiences who are mostly far removed from the events of the Holocaust. In Luis Puenzo’s The Official Story, there is a greater emphasis on dramatic fiction, but it infuses the historical context so naturally within the narrative that, though not as far removed from its own history, it enhances the emotional effect and honors the memory of those affected by the tragedy that unfolded in Argentina.

The film is set in Buenos Aires in the 1980’s, during the military junta (“dictatorship”) that held power in Argentina from 1976 until its fall in 1983. During this time, thousands of citizens who espoused leftist political beliefs were tortured, killed, or disappeared. Many of these “desaparecidos” also fell victim to the forced kidnapping of their children, who were secretly given up for adoption by the military. Alicia (Norma Aleandro), lives in Buenos Aires with her husband, Roberto (Héctor Alterio), and their adopted daughter, Gaby. When Alicia’s longtime friend, Ana (Chunchuna Villafañe), returns from exile, she tells Alicia that she was held captive and tortured by the military, and she witnessed people taking children away from their parents. This leads Alicia to question how they were able to adopt Gaby. Though Roberto dismisses her doubts, Alicia continues searching for the truth, in the hope that she might find Gaby’s birth parents and unravel the mystery of her adoption.

The Official Story greatly benefits from the time in which it was produced. The script was still being written while Argentina’s last dictator, Leopoldo Galtieri, was still in power, and the film was only released two years after his dictatorship fell. This allows for the story to ring true more than most historical dramas, as the filmmaking process was not far removed from the events it depicts. Additionally, Norma Aleandro, whose performance as the mother torn between keeping her daughter and righting a potential wrong, is spectacular; she actually lived through the rule of the junta, and was forced to escape to Uruguay and eventually Spain before returning to her home country. When both the filmmakers and the performers are so closely tied to the historical context of the film, it is difficult to portray anything but the truth.

Despite its emotional gravitas, The Official Story does not function as a sweeping historical epic or political thriller, but as an intimate portrayal of a woman who, as a result of her own ignorance of political truths, participated in a horrific and abusive process that tore families apart and forever changed a nation. The characters, though realistic as individuals, also symbolize the different groups that emerged during such a chaotic time. Roberto represents the callous indifference of those in power, willing to do anything to serve the defacto government’s interests. Alicia suffers his abuse, first quietly, and then with an increasing resilience that embodies the mindset of a people fed up with the corruption and human rights abuses suffered for so many years.

While it is easy for these kinds of films to paint a stark contrast between who is right and who is wrong, The Official Story does not overdo its message. Naturally, there is no question that Roberto and the government he represented in the film were on the wrong side of history, but rather than simply drawing lines in the sand, the film gives us glimpses of events unfolding at lightning speed, sometimes out in the open, and sometimes behind closed doors. In both cases, the circumstances are so chaotic that we identify with Alicia’s lack of clarity, and her desire to both know and remain ignorant, for fear of discovering a truth too terrifying to comprehend.

Whether for Norma Aleandro’s exceptional performance or the honest portrayal of a horrific time in Argentina’s history, The Official Story is a must-see film that, in light of the real events, paints a haunting picture of the cruelty humans inflict on one another.

Rating: ★★★★ out of 5

The Official Story is available to purchase via Amazon here.