Lion's Den (2008 film)

Lion's Den
Theatrical release poster
Directed byPablo Trapero
Screenplay by
  • Pablo Trapero
  • Martín Mauregui
  • Santiago Mitre
  • Alejandro Fadel
Story byPablo Trapero
Produced by
  • Pablo Trapero
  • Youngjoo Suh
Starring
CinematographyGuillermo Nieto
Edited by
  • Ezequiel Borovinsky
  • Pablo Trapero
Music by
Distributed byBuena Vista International
Release dates
  • May 15, 2008 (2008-05-15) (Cannes Film Festival)
  • May 29, 2008 (2008-05-29) (Argentina)
Running time
113 minutes
CountriesArgentina
South Korea
Brazil
Spain
LanguageSpanish

Lion's Den (Spanish: Leonera) is a 2008 drama film directed, co-written, co-produced and co-edited by Pablo Trapero. Addressing motherhood within the prison system, it stars Martina Gusmán, Elli Medeiros and Rodrigo Santoro. The film competed in the Competition at the 2008 Cannes Film Festival.

It was Argentina's official submission for the 2009 Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film.

Plot

In Buenos Aires, the independently minded student Julia Zárate awakens in her apartment with gore everywhere, her lover Nahuel stabbed, and their shared lover Ramiro covered with blood but alive.

Julia is pregnant and is sent to a special prison wing for mothers and pregnant prisoners to await trial. She befriends Marta, a fellow prisoner who has two children and helps her to understand prison life as a mother. Julia delivers Tomás and her mother tries to kidnap him, causing a prison riot. When Ramiro accuses her of murdering Nahuel, her chances of raising Tomás fall.

Cast

See also