Un cuento chino / Chinese Take-away

Directed by Sebastián Borensztein

Roberto (Ricardo Darín) is a cranky loner. His methodical routine takes him from breakfast to his hardware store next-door to his house, to cooking dinner alone, to his collection of bizarre news stories from around the world. He goes to sleep exactly at eleven o'clock every night. He treats his customers and purveyors with disdain, and avoids yielding to the well meaning advances of Mari (Muriel Santa Ana), the only person who procures him. One of many Saturdays, after his habitual visit to the cemetery to bring flowers to his parents, Roberto crosses paths with Jun (Huang Sheng Huan), a Chinese migrant in a desperate situation to whom he reluctantly offers to help and ends up taking in. Not used to sharing his life and limited by language barriers, Roberto struggles to help Jun, breaking the force of habit, unveiling ghosts from the past, and bringing to question the sense of his rituals. As the two men grow unlikely close to each other, they realize that life may sometimes be absurd, but that perhaps nothing happens out of sheer chance.

Roberto (Ricardo Darín) es un tipo enojón y solitario. Su metódica rutina lo lleva del desayuno a su ferretería, situada junto a su casa, a cocinar su cena solo, y a su colección de noticias absurdas de todo el mundo. Todas las noches se va a dormir a las once en punto. Roberto trata a sus clientes y proveedores con desdén, y evita ceder a los avances bien intencionados de Mari (Muriel Santa Ana), la única persona que procura su amistad. Uno de tantos sábados, después de su habitual visita al cementerio para llevar flores a sus padres, Roberto se cruza con Jun (Huang Sheng Huan), un migrante Chino en situación desesperada a quien renuente ofrece ayuda, y termina por llevar a vivir con él por unos días. Poco acostumbrado a compartir su vida y limitado por las barreras del lenguaje, Roberto se esfuerza por ayudar a Jun, rompe la fuerza de sus hábitos, destapa fantasmas del pasado, y cuestiona el sentido de sus rituales. Mientras los dos hombres se convierten en improbables amigos, se dan cuenta de que aun cuando la vida puede parecer absurda, tal vez nada sucede sólo por casualidad.

Sebastián Borensztein started his career in the 1980’s working in publicity for McCann-Erisckon, Ogilvy and others. Before making films, Borenzstein was one of the most successful and prolific TV producers, directors and writers in Argentina. He started working for his father, the comic legend Tato Bores. From 1988 to 1994, Borensztein won numerous national awards including the prestigious Martin Fierro award (the Argentinean Emmy) and “el premio Ondas," awarded to the best Spanish language series in the world.

During the 1990’s he created nearly a dozen TV series, including El Garante which won dozens of awards including four Martin Fierro awards and a nomination for the international Emmy.

In the year 2000 Borensztein won the Konex Award in Argentina, recognized as one of the five best directors of the decade. That same year he created the series Tiempo final which broke rating records in Argentina, has been aired in more than 50 countries, as well as selling for remakes in Spain, Russia, Israel and other countries. Tiempo Final was also nominated for an international Emmy.

In 2005 Borezstein wrote and directed his first feature, La suerte esta echada, which won numerous awards including the New Filmmaker Award from French Critics Society at the Toulouse Latin American Film Festival, and the Rail D ‘Oc prize for best screenplay and Audience Award at the Trieste Latino Cinema Festival. Following Borenstein co-wrote and directed Sin memoria for Lionsgate Entertainment and Grupo Televisa, starring Mexican actors Martha Higareda (Street Kings) and Emilio Echeverria (Amores Perros). He holds a bachelors degree in Communications from the University of Salvador.

Cast

Roberto – Ricardo Darín

Jun Quian – Huang Sheng Huang

Mari Muriel – Santa Ana

Roberto (Young) – Enric Rodriguez

Leonel – Ivan Romanelli

Crew

Written and Directed by Sebastián Borensztein

Produced by Pablo Bossi, Juan Pablo Buscarini, Gerardo Herrero, Mariela Besuievsky, Isabel García Peralta, Benjamín Odell and Axel Kuschevatzky

Executive producers: Juan Pablo Buscarini and Gerardo Herrero

Associated producer: Carlos L Mentasti

Delegate Producer: Daniela Alvarado

Production Directors: Josean Gómez / Marcelo LaTorre

Cinematography: Rodrigo Pulpeiro

Art Direction: Laura Musso and Valeria Ambrossio

Editor: Fernando Pardo

Sound: Eduardo Esquide

Sound editor: Charly Schmukler

Music: Lucio Godoy

Associated editor: Pablo Barbieri

Make-up: Antonia Perez / Lucila Robirosa

Costum Design: Cristina Menella

Assistant director: Alejandra Uz

Hair dresser: Araceli Farase / Kenyar Padilla

Special effects supervisor: Alejandro Valente and Juan Elías

A production of Pampa Films, Tornasol Films and Telefé, in association with Castafiore Films, Aliwood Mediterraneo Producciones, Royal Cinema Group, Gloriamundi and Cooperativa de trabajo 2001.

A Panorama Entertainment release.