En la puta vida [In This Tricky Life],

 (Uruguay, Argentina. Cuba, Spain, Belgium, Beatriz Flores Silva, 2001)

Cast: Mariana Santángelo            ....          Elisa

Silvestre             ....          Plácido el Cara

José Linuesa       ....          Marcelo (as Josep Linuesa)

Andrea Fantoni               ....          Lulú

Rodrigo Speranza           ....          Marcos

Agustín Abreu  ....          Nicolás

Fermi Herrero   ....          El Gigante

Augusto Mazzarelli        ....          Garcia

Graciela Gelos   ....          Teresa

Graciela Escuder             ....          Doña Sera

Director: Beatriz Flores Silva

Length: 100 minutes

Sound: Stereo

Country: Uruguay / Argentina / Cuba / Spain / Belgium

Director: Beatriz Flores Silva

Language: Spanish

Color:Color

Sound: Stereo

Script: Beatriz Flores Silva & János Kovácsi

Photography: Francisco Gózon

Editing: Marie-Hélène Dozo & Daniel Márquez

Customes: Solange Guillemette

Artistic Director:

Postproduction Sound:

Music: Carlos Da Silveira

Executive Producer:

Producer: Avalon Productions S.L, BFS Productions, Bavaria Film, ICAIC, Saga Film & Vía Digital

Questions of analysis:

1.    Compare Montevideo to Barcelona. How does the director present each one of the cities? Are they alike? Are they different? How?

2.    Explain how the opening scene sets the mood for the rest of the movie.

3.    What is the film’s position on prostitution?

4.    Comment on recurring mise en scéne settings and how do they help to set the film’s mood.

5.    What is the relationship between sound and image? Give specific examples.

6.    Are there camera movements (long shots, high angles, close-ups, fade-in, fade-out, special effects and so forth) that aid the directors emphasize the film’s main message?

7.    List three sequences that you consider the movie’s most important scenes.

8.    How are the characters developed? Do they evolve (or don’t) throughout the film?

9.    Elaborate on the customs and props wore by the characters.

10.  Whose focalization does the director use to present the story?

11.  Explain the movie social context. What does the audience need to know to better appreciate the film?

12.  What cultural or social-political values does the movie propose, present or emphasize?

13.  How are the gender roles defined?

14.  What is the movie's final scene? What impression attempts to leave in the audience?