Barrio modelo

Silvia visited Moscow in the late 1960s, during the Soviet regime's heyday. There, she saw the structuralist-designed complexes designed to house working-class families. Upon returning to Buenos Aires, she discovered that the same collectivist spirit was embedded in the buildings constructed by the El Hogar Obrero cooperative. Embracing the ideal of socialism, Silvia abandoned everything, including her husband and children, to move into one of these apartments and write a novel in which she planned to portray its more than 200 owners. Shortly after, she traveled to Italy, and her trail was lost forever. Half a century later, a niece found her manuscripts and decided to bring to life on film what had been left unfinished in literature, combining archival material with scenes of the current inhabitants.

Directed by Mara Pescio, Barrio modelo leans on a strong ensemble — Margarita Beatriz Carballal, Ana De Bello, Margarita Orrequia — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about documentary titles of 2022.