Ricardo Darín, Manuel Rodal, Dolores Fonzi
The director of Nine Queens was only 47 when he died last summer. El Aura, his second and final feature, offers an undeniable testimony to his immense talent and reminds audiences everywhere what a great loss Argentina’s cinema has suffered. A noirish thriller with a heart as dark as its forest setting, it follows an epileptic, introverted taxidermist (Darín) who is convinced that he can carry off the perfect robbery. On a hunting trip in Patagonian woodlands, he is given the chance to test his theory when he takes advantage of a criminal opportunity that soon spirals out of control. El Aura oozes an atmosphere of unease, from its ‘scope cinematography of overwhelming landscape to Darín’s intense and inscrutable performance.’