The night I fought against God, a film that unites past and present and the pain of the AMIA bombing

Written and directed by Rodrigo Fernandez Engler and based on real events, The night I fought Godtells the experiences of a young doctor and a shepherd separated by four centuries. Luciano Caceres, Thomas Kirzner and a quality cast, shine in this Argentine film in which transcendent themes such as destiny or the need for justice are questioned, completely atypical in the local cinema scene.

Among the latest releases from national cinema, this welcome offering boasts some peculiarities. On the one hand, it has renowned artists leading a solid cast, mostly from Córdoba, since, in addition to the INCAA, it has the support of the Audiovisual Center of Córdoba. For another, waters in search of memory, truth and justice, but from a different angle than usualwhich unites a tragic event from Argentina with another from ancient history.

With great excitement, a still-new doctor, 24-year-old Benjamín Sheinberg (Tomás Kirzner), begins his first day as a resident at the Hospital de Clínicas de Buenos Aires. He lives with his grandfather, who survived the Nazi extermination camps and settled in Argentina, where he was able to rebuild his life. The boy dreams of working at the famous Greenberg National Institute of Forensic Medicine in Israel, because he is passionate about that specialty.

But it is the morning of July 18, 1994 and our country suffers one of the most terrible attacks when a car bomb explodes in front of the AMIA building, killing 85 people (to whom the film is dedicated) and injuring hundreds of people. Dazed and overwhelmed by the situation, he doesn’t react as he should, runs away from the hospital and, once home, discovers that his grandfather is one of the fatal victims.

Deeply affected, he abandons his vocation and goes to Jerusalem with the letters that the old man has exchanged with his friend Reuben for fifty years (Yair Dori), companion of the terrible hardships suffered during the war. There, in front of the imposing Western Wall, he will meet this man who will pass on to him ancient wisdom, based mainly on accept the destiny that God has reserved for all men.

From present to past

The plot moves to the past where a young Jacob (Luciano Cáceres), future patriarch of the Israelite people, faces his brother Esau (Andrés Irusta) because it is he who receives the favors of his father Isaac (Marcelo Polakoff), in turn the only son of Abraham (Alberto Leiva), whom God asked to sacrifice and then stopped him. With a trick from Rebeca (Virginia Garrone), the mother of both, deceives the parent and obtains the blessing as the firstborn, which guarantees him greater hereditary benefits.

Although not entirely explicit, This biblical fact has a correlation with the story that takes place in the presentsince they share the existential axes in the fundamental search for one’s identity, the imperative to unite with the past, even if very painful, and they never cease to privilege the personal and collective evocation to, from there, ask for justice.

Directed with a firm and sure hand by Rodrigo Fernández Engler of Santa Fe (Argentine soldier known only to God AND I, traitor), the film is an example of the kind of wholesomely ambitious productions that native cinema should imitate. It contains numerous scenes, very plausible, which recreate the desert and inhospitable landscapes of Asia Minor and the nomadic environment of that town, thanks to the precise artistic design of Carolina Vergara.

In a cast of homogeneous quality, the imposing presence of Cáceres and the expressive face of Kirzner stand out in the main roles. As well as the delicate interventions of Carolina Kopelioff, in the role of Benjamín’s tormented girlfriend, of Andrés Irusta in the role of the brother capable of forgiving, and of Yair Dori as spokesperson for the ancient memory. Also notable are the eloquent photography of Diego Arroyo and the sensitive music of Ezequiel Bauza and David Majul Akiki.

File

The night I fought God

Qualification: Well

Drama. Argentina, 2024. 103′, SAM13. Address: Rodrigo Fernández Engler With: Luciano Cáceres, Tomás Kirzner, Carolina Kopelioff, Andrés Irusta, Marcelo Polakoff, Antonio Cataldi and cast. Rooms: Gaumont, Cinépolis Hoyssay and Avellaneda, Atlas Patio Bullrich, Caballito y Flores, Hoyts Abasto and Unicenter, Showcase Belgrano, Cinema Devoto.