Camera Obscura (La cámara oscura)

The setting for this moving film is a colony of Jewish immigrants in Entre Riso Province, Argentina, at the end of the 19th century. Gertrudis is born an ugly baby, grows into an unattractive child and becomes an almost invisible and insignificant woman. Ignored by all, Gertrudis opens her eyes to the small joys in life and creates her own universe. Years later, when she is married with children and running an idyllic Jewish household, a French photographer passes by and offers to photograph the family. This man, a surrealist artist, is the only one to discover her singular beauty and rich inner life. Gertrudis begins to “see” herself for the first time. Director María Victoria Menis presents a film that gazes at life through a feminine lens. This gentle film provides a rare opportunity to learn about the Jewish agrarian settlements in 19th century Argentina.