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Before Opening Night (Antes del Estreno)

Santiago Giralt
Argentina / 2011 / 80 min / Spanish with English subtitles

In Before Opening Night, director Santiago Giralt gives us elements of both Woody Allen's nervous comedy and Cassavetes' melodramatic roller coaster in a storm of egos that takes place on one decisive weekend in the lives of Juana, a popular actress about to star in an important theater production and her husband Roman, a director suffering from writer's block. The couple's daughter Lila serves as a mirror that reflects her parents' frustrations and joys.  In making the film, Giralt (who also wrote the screenplay) wanted to create his own version of John Cassavettes’ Opening Night. Hoping to achieve a certain intimacy, Giralt decided to film the movie in his own home outside of Buenos Aires where he invited well-known Argentine actors Erica Rivas (who won the award for Best Actress at the Mar del Plata Film Festival for her portrayal of Juana), Nahuel Mutti, Miranda de la Serna, Rodrigo De La Serna and María Marull to rehearse for nearly a month before being joined by the crew. The long takes, atmospheric music and stellar performances give a poignant, and at times, hilarious portrayal of a family as they attempt to negotiate their egos, a marriage and the creative life. 

Before Opening Night is one of the many films included in the catalogue of Spanish Film Club.

Santiago Giralt graduated from the Universidad del Cine and has directed four movies in four years. His first two movies were in collaboration with other filmmakers: UPA! An Argentinean Movie (Upa! Una Película Argentina) and The S. Sisters (Las Hermanas S). He did All The Lonely People (Toda La Gente Sola,) and Before Opening Night (Antes Del Estreno) as a solo director. He is an actor and a co-producer in all his film projects and he is a prize-winning screenwriter. He was also an editor in his last movie. In 2008, he wrote his first novel, The General’s Lover (La Amante Del General), shortlisted for the Planeta Award 2008, (chosen from amongst more than a 469 novels). He has finished a second novel, Shotgun (Disparo), and his first play, The Camping Trilogy (Part One): Looking Back Without Turning (La Trilogía Camping, Mirando Atrás Sin Girarse), will open in 2012. 

Mar del Plata Film Festival 
- Best Actress

Quotes

“A triumph”- Diego Batlle, LA NACIÓN

“There is a lot of truth in this film”- Miguel Frías, CLARÍN

"The new film of Giralt is a mature and dramatic film with a uncommon cinematic fluidity. Excellent Nahuel Mutti."-  Luciano Monteagudo, critic.

“Before Opening Night became a cinema master class” – Rafael Garbero, EL FISGÓN DIGITAL

“But it is precisely through this economy, where Before Opening Night becomes a story with dramatic consistency and stylistic coherence at times hilarious and with a heady magnetism”- Ezequiel Obregón, ESCRIBIENDO CINE