“The Past is Never Dead”: Youth, Adolescence, and Contemporary Guerra Sucia Films in Argentina

Abstract

Throughout the 1970s, violence gripped the Southern Cone of Latin America. Military dictatorships took power in Chile (1973), Uruguay (1973), and Argentina (1976). Elements of the armed forces already had control in Paraguay (1954) and Brazil (1964). In a supposed quest to rid the hemisphere of subversive leftist elements, these right-wing dictatorships waged a brutal Guerra Sucia (Dirty War) where thousands perished. Political violence pervaded the entire region, from the streets of Buenos Aires to the beaches of Valparaíso. While the Guerra Sucia has long been associated with generals, and dictators, recent films have refocused our understanding of how the conflict affected all elements of society. This article explores the recent utilization of adolescents as lead characters in major Southern Cone films on the Guerra Sucia. Arguing that such an approach allows for a more complete understanding of the regions violent past, and can elicit a powerful emotional response from audiences. Films under analysis include two Argentinian productions, Gastón Biraben’s Cautiva (Captive, 2003) and Benjamín Ávila’s Infancia clandestina (Clandestine Childhood, 2011).