Puan

For Marcelo (Marcelo Subiotto), the arrival of Rafael (Leonardo Sbaraglia) marks the start of a conflict. Following the unexpected death of the head of the Political Philosophy Department at the University of Buenos Aires where Marcelo works, he is certain that he will be the one to fill the vacancy. However, Rafael, a younger candidate with an impressive track record (he’s known for quoting philosophers in their original languages, plays the piano, has a beautiful singing voice and a captivating smile) quickly gains the favour of everyone in the department. For his part, Marcelo is quiet, unassuming and paunchy, and doesn’t really know what to do in a situation like this. PUAN, whose title refers to the affectionate nickname for the street where the Faculty of Philosophy is located, challenges the typical ways in which such professional conflicts play out. While the central rivalry generates tension, other problems also loom large—personal, financial and political. What sets María Alché and Benjamín Naishtat’s narrative apart is the way PUAN moves from the self-centred realm of professors’ offices, with its humour and pettiness, to the harsher, more intense real world, which is where the true adversary lies. (Diego Lerer)

In the presence of Christoph Friedel (Co-Production).

Maria Alché: EL JUEGO (2010, K), HISTORIA DEL MAL (2011, K), COLECCIONES (2013, K), HISTORIA DEL MIEDO (2014), EL MOVIMIENTO (2015), ROJO (2018)

Benjamín Naishtat: EL JUEGO (2010, K), HISTORIA DEL MAL (2011, K), COLECCIONES (2013, K), HISTORIA DEL MIEDO (2014), EL MOVIMIENTO (2015), ROJO (2018)