L’étudiant
(El Estudiante)

Having left his province to study in Buenos Aires, Roque hangs around the university campus, where he discovers a passion for student politics – leaders, elections, dirty tricks. It is above all to seduce the activist teacher, Paula, that he agrees to support one of the candidates, but his motivation soon outstrips this attraction. Telling the tale of an ambition that grows out of almost nothing, Santiago Mitre gives us a detailed x-ray of university political life, which is all the more vigorous as it doubtless serves as preparation for intrigues in higher places. Made with a small budget and a light crew, this miniature epic indeed suggests that there is simply a difference of scale. Proliferating within-group factions, inside betrayals and shifts of gear: Roque’s initiation with the wily veteran Acevedo has less to do with defending an ideology “managing people” than campaigning on the winning side. CG