Imagining Argentina (film)

Imagining Argentina
Theatrical release film poster
Directed byChristopher Hampton
Screenplay byChristopher Hampton
Based onImagining Argentina
by Lawrence Thornton
Produced byMichael Peyser
Diane Sillan
Santiago Pozo
Geoffrey C. Lands
StarringAntonio Banderas
Emma Thompson
Leticia Dolera
Maria Canals
Rubén Blades
CinematographyGuillermo Navarro
Edited byGeorge Akers
Music byGeorge Fenton
Production
companies
Multivideo
Arenas Entertainment
Myriad Pictures
Green Moon Productions
Imagining Argentina Productions Ltd.
Mike's Movies
Tide Rock Entertainment
Distributed byArenas Entertainment (United States)
Manga Films (Spain)
Universal Pictures (Argentina and United Kingdom, through United International Pictures)
Release date
  • 12 September 2003 (2003-09-12)
Running time
107 minutes
CountriesSpain
United Kingdom
United States
LanguageEnglish
Box office$383,106[1]

Imagining Argentina is a 2003 drama historical film written and directed by British playwright Christopher Hampton and starring Antonio Banderas, Emma Thompson, Leticia Dolera and Rubén Blades. It is based on the award-winning eponymous 1987 novel by American writer Lawrence Thornton. It was nominated for the Golden Lion at the 2003 Venice Film Festival.

The film is centered on a couple living through the oppressive last military dictatorship in Argentina (1976-1983) and the Dirty War it conducted. Graphic images of suffering, such as rape and torture, are depicted. The closing caption states that a total of nearly 30,000 Argentines were "disappeared" through this period. The film was a joint USA/Argentina/Spain/UK production.

  1. ^ "Imagining Argentina".