LA NIÑA SANTA (The Holy Girl)

LA NIÑA SANTA (The Holy Girl), Argen- tinian director Lucrecia Martel’s re- markable follow up to her acclaimed debut 'La Ciénaga' was premiered at last year’s Cannes Film Festival, where it was re- garded by some critics as one of the best films shown in the Competition. Martel is part of a group of Argentina’s New Wave of film makers, producing some of the most original and interesting films around at the moment. Pedro Almodóvar and his brother Agustín were the executive producers of LA NIÑA SANTA (The Holy Girl) and were very keen to support Martel after seeing 'La Ciénaga'. The film is produced by the Argentinian Lita Stantic, one of the key figures in this New Wave of Argentinian filmmaking. It was shown at last year’s New York Film Festival, and the New York Times critic wrote: 'THE HOLY GIRL, Lucrecia Martel’s elusive, feverish and altogether amazing second feature…a movie that pursues its themes with a discernable flush of eroticism…THE HOLY GIRL is a film that defies categorization, but I’m tempted to call it a miracle.' Winter in La Ciénaga. After choir rehearsals, the girls get together in the parish church to dis- cuss faith and vocation. Amalia and Josefina (MARIA ALCHÉ and JULIETA ZYLBERBERG) are sixteen. In between the discussions, they whisper secretly about kissing. Josefina is from a conservative family. Not far from Josefina’s house is the now run-down Hotel Termas, owned by Amalia’s family, where she lives with her mother, Helena (MERCEDES MORÁN), a divorcée, and the rest of her family. A chance encounter between Amalia and Dr. Jano (CARLOS BELLOSO), who is attending a medical conference at the hotel, allows the young girl to at last find her vocation- to save a man from sin. Dr. Jano will be caught up in a web of good intentions. The respected provincial doctor’s world is on the brink of collapse.