Camila

Title: Camila
Released: 1984
Director: María Luisa Bemberg

Plot Summary

Based on a true story during the Juan Manuel de Rosas dictatorship of Argentina, Camila is a story of scandal, love and politics. The story takes place in 1848, when the young wealthy socialite Camila O'Gorman falls in love with Jesuit priest Father Gutiérrez.

After a secret affair, the couple changes their identities and moves to Corrientes, where they hope to start over and forget about the past. Meanwhile, their story has spread from Santiago to Montevideo and when the couple's true identity is discovered, they are at the mercy of the dictatorship.

The film does a great job of portraying the dark political climate at the time (reminiscent of Spanish Civil War films like Pan's Labyrinth and Butterfly) and exposing a troubling event in the history of Argentina.

Language Learning Notes

Despite the film's time period, the form of speaking seems relatively modern, not much different from what you would hear today on a Buenos Aires sidewalk.