This monograph examines the figure of Ricardo Darin, the leading actor that drives Argentine cinema's box office success. It aims to fill a lacuna both in Hispanic and Anglophone academia regarding the study of how Ricardo Darin's rise to stardom took place, and what that stardom means for the Latin American film industry. Accordingly, it examines whether or not Ricardo Darin embodies the epitome of the contemporary Latin American or Hispanic star, and, importantly, whether or not the characteristics of the Hollywood star system are actually applicable in the case of Argentine cinema where the dividing lines between so-called 'industrial' and 'independent' cinemas are very difficult to discern. Thus, whilst taking the study of this key figure from contemporary Argentine cinema as its focal point, this study will also facilitate an opening up towards broader but equally vital questions that continue to require full examination: How are Argentine, Latin American and Hispanic stars constructed? Does the leading actor of contemporary Argentine cinema embody a wider social group and historical moment in the region? Is his performative approach redefining a particular cinematic style?
Clara Garavelli is currently Director of Studies for Modern Languages and Associate Professor in Spanish and Latin American Studies at the University of Leicester (UK).
AcknowledgementsIntroductionPART 1: From Gardel to Darín: Film Stardom in ArgentinaCHAPTER 1: Origin and Establishment of the Argentine Star SystemCHAPTER 2: Stardom During the Rise of Television and the 1960s Film WaveCHAPTER 3: The Challenges of a (Non-)Star System in a Post-Dictatorship PeriodPART 2: From Child Theatre Performer and TV Celebrity to Film starCHAPTER 4: Childhood and First PerformancesCHAPTER 5: Telenovelas and Music-Based Youth FilmsCHAPTER 6: Theatre PerformancesCHAPTER 7: Comedy Roles and 1980s-90s Works in CinemaCHAPTER 8: Contemporary Productions and The Ageing StarPART 3: A ‘Hispanic’ StarCHAPTER 9: Spanish conquistadorCHAPTER 10: Transnational Mobility and Cross-Cultural ExchangesCHAPTER 11: Discourses of Scandal, Politics, Activism, and LegaciesAppendicesIndex
In this brilliant book, Clara Garavelli presents an incisive and comprehensive analysis of Argentina’s leading actor. Garavelli places Darín within the national context of the Argentine cultural industries and traces his rise to transnational stardom. A must read for anyone interested in Argentine cinema and culture, star studies and Ricardo Darín.
Ann-Kristin Wallengren, Richard Dyer, Tytti Soila, King’s College London) Dyer, Richard (Professor Emeritus of Film Studies, Stockholm University) Soila, Tytti (Professor Emeritus in Media Studies, Lund University) Wallengren, Ann-Kristin (Professor of Film Studies