A fascinating, paranoia-inducing, yet also understated thriller, the Argentinean drama The Long Night of Francisco Sanctis is set in 1977, during the middle of the nation's years of repressive, authoritarian military government. Francisco (Diego Velázquez) is an ordinary family man with a boring desk job at a food company, whose biggest concern is gaining a management promotion that never comes. But that changes when Francisco gets a message from a former lover he knew in his earlier years as a political dissident. In a clandestine meeting, she appeals to Francisco to warn a couple that their arrest by security forces is imminent. Thus begins a journey of uncertainty and fear as Francisco wanders the streets, trying to identify the couple while also suspecting he is being watched and followed. Co-directors Francisco Márquez and Andrea Testa convey—through smart camera framing and ambient sounds—a haunting sense that a menacing presence could be around every corner or sitting at a bar table. As the mission grows in complexity, with potential allies failing him, Francisco goes to greater and more dangerous lengths, so deep into a rabbit hole that this long night might never end. Recommended. (T. Keogh)
The Long Night of Francisco Sanctis
Breaking Glass, 76 min, in Spanish w/English subtitles, not rated, DVD: $24.99 Volume 33, Issue 2
The Long Night of Francisco Sanctis
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