AFI Latin American Film Festival 2009

Santiago, 1979: Middle-aged sad sack Raúl brightens his drab existence with frequent visits to a cinema playing SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER. Why? To study John Travolta as Tony Manero. No mere fan, Raúl has obsessively identified with Tony and claimed the persona for his own, developing better-than-average dance moves and appropriating enough charisma to recruit his fellow café workers into an after-hours dance troupe. But Raúl’s sick ambition goes way beyond that of his fellow dancers, as he ruthlessly exploits any advantage and eliminates any threats to his dancing dominance. Director Pablo Larrain’s (FUGUE) disturbing film has deservedly garnered honors on the festival circuit for its inspired blend of popular culture and dark political allegory.