Anita

Film Info

Country Argentina

Language Spanish

Year of Release 2011

Running Time 104 minutes

Crew

Director Marcos Carnevale

Writer Marcos Carnevale

Writer Marcela Guerty

Writer Lily Ann Martin

Producer Marcos Carnevale

Executive Producer Jorge Gundín

Cast

Anita Alejandra Manzo

Dora Norma Aleandro

Felix Luis Luque

Nori Leonor Manso

Ariel Peto Menahem

Synopsis

Anita is the story of a young woman with Down syndrome (Alejandra Manzo) who lives a happy, routine life in Buenos Aires, being meticulously cared for by her mother Dora (Academy Award nominee Norma Aleandro). One tragic morning in 1994, everything changes when Anita is left alone, confused and helpless after the nearby Argentine Israelite Mutual Association is bombed (the deadliest bombing in Argentina's history). As Anita wanders through the city, she learns not only to care for herself, but touches the lives of those around her, from an alcoholic to a family of Asian immigrants.

Anita is the latest from renowned filmmaker Marcos Carnevale, director of "Elsa and Fred". The film stars Academy Award nominated actress Norma Aleandro (called the "Meryl Streep" of Argentina), Peto Menahem, Luis Luque, Leonor Manso (who was named Best Supporting Actress at the 2009 Argentine Academy Awards for her performance), and introduces Alejandra Manzo as Anita!

Latest News

"Anita" Closing Night Film of First REELAbilitiesBOSTON Film Festival

The heart-warming Argentine film Anita has been named the Closing Night film of the very first REELAbilitiesBOSTON Film Festival! The film is being shown at 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday, February 8th, at the West Newton Cinema in Newton, MA.

The REELAbilitiesBoston Film Festival features six films about people with various disabilities. Tickets are available through the BJFF at www.bjff.org.

Learn more about Anita at the film's website!

Commemorate the Anniversary of the 1994 AMIA Bombing with "Anita"

Monday, July 18th, 2011 marks the 17th anniversary of the bombing of the Association Mutual Israelite Argentina (AMIA - the Jewish Community Center in Buenos Aires, Argentina). This act is considered one of the most tragic anti-Semitic acts since World War II, where 85 civilians perished and over 300 were injured.

Acclaimed Argentine filmmaker Marcos Carnevale has crafted a film which reckons with these horrific events. Rather than trying to explain this national tragedy by dissecting the events themselves, Carnevale sought to tell this story through the purest of souls: a young Jewish woman with Down syndrome named Anita.

Anita - Now Playing in Miami, FL

North American Theatrical Premiere!

Anita is the latest from renowned filmmaker Marcos Carnevale, director of Elsa and Fred. The film stars Academy Award nominated actress Norma Aleandro (called the "Meryl Streep" of Argentina), Peto Menahem, Luis Luque, Leonor Manso (who was named Best Supporting Actress at the 2009 Argentine Academy Awards for her performance), and introduces Alejandra Manzo as Anita. This inspriational film has already begun to capture the hearts of US audiences, having won 9 Audience Awards from film festivals across the country.

Anita opens July 8th at the Tower Theatre in Miami, Florida.
Check back soon to find out where Anita is playing near you!

Click here to watch the trailer!

Reviews

Jewish Review of Books

"Anita may be marketed in the United States as a heartwarming, even feel-good movie—and (Alejandra) Manzo’s expressive face of trusting frailty will bring most viewers to tears at one point or another—but it is also a careful meditation on the nature of helplessness, trust, and love."

The Boca Raton Tribune

"I find “Anita” a wondrously hopeful film. If you believe in the inherent goodness of human beings, it is the “feel-good” movie of the season. "

The Jewish Daily Forward

"Like Homer’s “Odyssey,” the film “Anita” is the story of someone trying to find her way home. Anita’s gentle devotion and humble tranquility eventually win over everyone who takes her in."