Subte: Polska

As a young man, Tadeusz left behind his sweetheart and his entire family to fight for the Republican Army in the Spanish Civil War. After the war was lost, the rise of fascism made it unsafe for a Jewish communist to return to Europe, and Tadeusz was forced to immigrate to Buenos Aires, literally going underground to help build the subway tunnels beneath the city. Refusing the doctor’s pills he believes responsible for robbing his lucidity and manhood, Tadeusz’s past begins to meld with the present. Knowing that his next journey will likely be his last, Tadeusz sets about reconnecting with long-lost lovers from his youth, with help from an eccentric circle of caring friends and neighbours. A sharply observed character study depicting a quixotic life that comes full circle in its final, bittersweet chapter.

Directed by Alejandro Magnone, Subte: Polska leans on a strong ensemble — Héctor Bidonde, Miguel Ángel Solá, Analía Malvido — 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 drama titles of 2016.