MARIPOSA

Argentina, 2050, 103 minutes, Colour.
Ailin Salas, Javier de Pietro, Julian Infantino, Malena Villa.
Directed by the Marco Berger.

The opening of the film shows a young girl carrying a baby and she soon abandons it, but sees a beautiful butterfly. The scene of abandonment is seen twice, suggesting a surrealist approach to the film. This is important because there are two parallel worlds, two parallel stories, with the characters having the same names and being played by the same performers. It is intriguing to see how hair styles and glasses can make quite a difference to the appearance of the same actor or actress.

The plot is rather simple, love between the two central characters, the difficulty being that one couple thinks they are brother and sister and so the love is forbidden – although the audience knows that they are not blood brother and sister because the girl is the abandoned baby of the opening of the film. The other couple and their romance is complicated but with a lighter touch. One of the women has a brother who is gay and makes a liaison with the other man who seems to be initially partnered with the women.

The central male character is played by the actor who appeared as the 16 year old boy in the same director's Ausente/ Absent.

That this means of the film is quite clever – although, some of the characters are not particularly engaging. However, the performances and the contrast between the two worlds retains interest.


1. An Argentinian story? The Argentinian town, the countryside? Atmosphere?

2. The title, the focus on the butterfly at the beginning? The butterfly in the glass? The girl abandoning the baby, looking at the butterfly? The baby as a butterfly?

3. The device of the screenplay, the parallel worlds, the same names, the similar behaviour, the differences? The same cast performing both characters? The different appearances, manner?

4. The opening, the girl with the baby, the scene being repeated? The touch of the surreal? The car passing, the mother seeing the child, getting out of the car, rescuing the baby? The father and mother – as seen later? The boy in the back seat, German, and the baby becoming Romina?

5. The basic story: the brother and sister (although the audience knows they are not blood brother and sister), the arguments, the taunting, the closeness, the love, the passion, the hesitations, finally consummating the love? The aftermath? The other couple, Romina on the road, the car stopping, sitting in the back with German? To hospital? The on and off friendship? Her interest in Bruno? His interest in Mariella? The talks, at the shop, the picnic? Together, the happy ending on the bike?

6. The two different characters of Romina? Different appearance? Different situations? In parallel? The same with German? Bushy hair, cropped hair with glasses?

7. Mariella, the sister, on the edge, the girlfriend of the serious German but his lack of interest in her? The other Mariella and her interest in the other German? In Bruno?

8. Bruno, girlfriends, homosexual, the advances to each of the Germans, the meeting of Mariella’s brother, the attraction, together?

9. The background of the parents, the parents who found the little girl and their care for her growing up? The other parents, casual?

10. The effect of having this parallel world, similar characters, with the serious difference of the relationships, the brother and sister element, the rather more carefree aspect of the other story?