VAGON FUMADOR (SMOKERS ONLY)

Argentina, 2001, 88 minutes, Colour.
Cecilia Bengolea, Leonardo Brezicki.
Directed by Veronica Chen.

Smokers Only is a brief film, a portrait of two young twenty-pluses in Buenos Aires. The film opens with Reni in the bath, cutting herself and soaking her hand, reminiscing about her encounters with Andres. Andres is a male prostitute, operating in a central park, meeting clients in the foyer of a bank. Reni watches him, they start talking together, they spend the night with each other. She is fascinated by the night life of the city, he is only alive in this particular scene.

Writer-director Veronica Chen shows the city in all the variety of its night life, especially the sordid after-dark aspects. The two central characters move into sexual adventures. However, they admit that this is not life's fulfilment. Reni plays with a band but they want to get rid of her. With her friendship with Andres, she begins to focus on what she really wants and is prepared to leave the city. Meanwhile, Andres, still working with clients, enjoys the company of Reni, discusses a whole range of issues and the meaning of his life.

1. An Argentinian perspective on 20-year-olds in the city? The director's sympathy for her characters, their situations, their struggles, their being victims of society, yet their hopefulness?

2. The title, Reni in the smoking carriage of the train? The lifestyle of the characters - and the risks that they took?

3. Buenos Aires as one of the characters of the film, the city at night, the streets, the shops, the central parks? The traffic? The musical score, the songs, especially with the band?

4. The portrait of Reni: in the bath, cutting her hand, watching Andres with the male clients, discussions with him, walking around the city, spending the night with him, going to the central park, being picked up with him, the client, her walking out? The discussions about the meaning of her life? Her being ousted from the band, losing energy, not having time to rehearse? Her finally leaving the city?

5. Andres, seeing him at work with the clients, the discussions with Reni, showing her the city, discussing his exhilaration of the night life, being paid for sexual favours, his clients, the strippers, in the cars? The client who picked them both up? His taking Reni's money? His being satisfied with his life, yet finding in the relationship with Reni, especially the discussions, his having to admit that there were deeper things possible for himself?

6. The band, their performances, wanting Reni out?

7. The range of clients, the pick-ups, the behaviour, public places, houses? Prostitution in Buenos Aires?

8. The film and its visual styles, avant garde techniques? The realism with the blend of the interpretation of the lives of Reni and Andres?