Argentina

Oscar-nominated Spanish director Carlos Saura presents 21 examples of traditional Argentine performance styles in this diverting if also slightly disappointing concert film. Most of the individual pieces are simply captured, with singers and dancers appearing on a relatively empty stage, while Félix “Chango” Monti's cinematography emphasizes clarity over razzmatazz. But some employ effective embellishments: in the copla, for example, the two seated performers face each other as they sing, while a close-up of each face is projected behind the other. Inserted into the mix are homages to two giants of Argentine folk music, Mercedes Sosa and Atahualpa Yupanqui, both shown in extended archival footage, although the Sosa tribute is undermined by one of the film's few serious lapses of directorial judgment, as the clip is shown before a classroom of children at their desks, who react by either swaying to the beat or simply looking bored. Saura immerses viewers in the country's rich variety of folk music—and individually most of the numbers are pleasant—but the whole feels like less than the sum of its parts, as there is little examination of what is special or distinctive about the different styles. Still, Saura has a sizable following, so this should be considered a strong optional purchase. (F. Swietek)