MINIMAL STORIES (HISTORIAS MINIMAS)
Argentina, 2002, 91 minutes, Colour.
Javier Lombardo, Antonio Benedictti, Javiera Bravo, Julia Solomonoff.
Directed by Carlos Sorin.
Historias Minimas is an impressive Argentinean film, three stories intertwined. One character is a travelling salesman, looking for a perfect cream cake to court the widow of his dreams – a lonely man. Another character is a young mother who wants to win a prize as a contestant on a TV game show, winning a microprocessor. The third is a grandfather who goes into town, hitchhiking, to find his lost dog and get pardoned for ignoring and neglecting it.
This last story leads the way to Sorin’s next film, Bonbon el Perro, a very moving story about an old man and his dog.
The film is set in Patagonia and envelops the audience in the desolate landscapes and the remote towns. Historias Minimas also won a Signis award at the San Sebastian festival in 2002. It also won eight of the Argentinean film awards of 2003.
1. Stories from Argentina? The Patagonian region? The beginning of the 21st century? The stories in their time - perennial stories?
2. The Patagonian locations, the small town, the open plains, the remoteness from the rest of the world? The characters within these landscapes? Musical score?
3. The road, the film as a road movie, the road to San Julian? Along the way, the small towns, the doctor's surgery? The bakeries? The trucks? The workers, their sheds, industry? The town itself, the streets and houses, the television station, restaurants? An overall picture of this part of the world?
4. The structure of the film, the introduction of each of the three central characters, the paralleling of their stories, the journey to San Julian, the bringing them together at the end and the return home? Their experiences on the road, in San Julian, what they were bringing back home? The focus on the old man, the opening, getting his eyes tested, the story about his driving, running over someone, his dog seeing it, a witness, the dog running away? Justo and his age, his owning of the shop, his son and daughter-in-law and their management of it, his ambitions to go to search for his dog, their looking after him, their running of the shop, their caution with him? The scene of the meal and their discussions? His waiting outside the shop, sitting, the children playing with him? His listening to the driver and hearing about his dog? The decision to go, getting up early in the morning, hitchhiking, Julia and her giving him a lift, the relationship, the discussions, the pleasant conversation? Her taking him to the doctor, the blood pressure, his going on? Getting to San Julian, going to the workers and the guards, their welcome, sharing the meal, playing cards, singing? His feeling at home with them? The man who was able to help with the dog and the owner, Fermin? His taking him to see the man with the dog, the discussions about the ownership, his compassion for the old man, pleading for the dog, the refusal, offering the man money, doing the bargain, getting the money from the old man? The owner happy with the money, Fermin happy with his good deed, the old man happy with his dog? Going back home?
5. Maria, her friend coming to see her, giving her the news about her letter, the television station? Her husband away working, the child, having to stay home to mind the child, unable to go to the city? Her friend persuading her? Going to the shop, the news around the town? Her being at the television station, the style of the television program, the prizes? The woman who wanted the food processor, her winning the make-up kit? Maria winning the top prize, her joy, on the television? Knowing she couldn't stay to get the prize the next day, the compere not being interested to help, the advice to stay in the town? The woman who wanted the food processor, the continued bargaining, the money offer, the exchanging of the prize? Her return home, sitting in the bus looking at her winnings?
6. Roberto, the salesman, his spiel and explanation to his young assistant? His relationship with women along the way? His wanting to see the widow, getting the cake for her son and his birthday, it not having the right lettering for the name? The taking it to the next bakery, watching the soap opera, hearing the comments on people's behaviour, the change? His worry about whether the child was a girl, going to the other store, wanting the football turned into a turtle? His persuading them, it being done? His going to the house, the widow not being home, seeing her come back with a man and her son? Going to the shop the next day, talking about the samples, talking about the birthday, discovering that it was the widow's brother who had come to celebrate the birthday? His joy, wanting to come another time?
7. The portrait of three different people, three different generations, human experience, what each of them learnt? Universal stories?
