Buenos Aires, 1977: Francisco Sanctis, an inconspicuous office worker and family man, lives a quiet life without political ambitions. His days are marked by routine, his nights by quiet resignation. But when his former college friend Elena contacts him and tells him that two dissidents are about to be kidnapped by the military junta, Francisco is faced with an existential decision: Should he risk his life to save two people he doesn't even know? THE LONG NIGHT OF FRANCISCO SANCTIS (La larga noche de Francisco Sanctis, 2016) is the feature film debut of Argentine directors Francisco Márquez and Andrea Testa. Based on the novel of the same name by Humberto Costantini, published in 1984, the film paints a haunting portrait of a man who is confronted with his moral responsibility in one night. The story takes place during the last military dictatorship in Argentina, a time when political opponents were systematically persecuted and “disappeared.” The film premiered in the “Un Certain Regard” section at the 2016 Cannes Film Festival, where it was praised for its powerful portrayal of moral dilemmas. At the Buenos Aires International Festival of Independent Cinema (BAFICI), it won several awards, including Best Film and Best Actor for Diego Velázquez. The film also received a special mention from the jury at the Lima Film Festival.
Argentine 1977: Francisco, a former communist, is given the chance to save two dissidents from the hounds of the military junta.
Buenos Aires, 1977: Francisco Sanctis, an inconspicuous office worker and family man, lives a quiet life without political ambitions. His days are marked by routine, his nights by quiet resignation. But when his former college friend Elena contacts him and tells him that two dissidents are about to be kidnapped by the military junta, Francisco is faced with an existential decision: Should he risk his life to save two people he doesn't even know?
THE LONG NIGHT OF FRANCISCO SANCTIS (La larga noche de Francisco Sanctis, 2016) is the feature film debut of Argentine directors Francisco Márquez and Andrea Testa. Based on the novel of the same name by Humberto Costantini, published in 1984, the film paints a haunting portrait of a man who is confronted with his moral responsibility in one night. The story takes place during the last military dictatorship in Argentina, a time when political opponents were systematically persecuted and “disappeared.”
The film premiered in the “Un Certain Regard” section at the 2016 Cannes Film Festival, where it was praised for its powerful portrayal of moral dilemmas. At the Buenos Aires International Festival of Independent Cinema (BAFICI), it won several awards, including Best Film and Best Actor for Diego Velázquez. The film also received a special mention from the jury at the Lima Film Festival.