THE POP'S TOILET

Excellent actors achieve a perfect description of how people live, work and feel in the Uruguayan towns bordering Brazil. They need very few quick words to tell you everything about the characters they represent.

In spite of all their problems it still sends a very positive message about the efforts of this family to stay together. They are really concerned about the future of their daughter. Both parents go to extremes for the well being of their small family.

The expressions of the silent face of the daughter tell you everything in her mind.

It is a very sad subject but very well treated with delicate touches of humor.

A bit too slow for today's viewer accustomed to fast action but, still an excellent movie.

Maybe not as good as "Whisky" but in the same league of the several Uruguayan movies we have seen lately. Quite different but as good as "El viaje hacia el Mar".

It is a film that leaves the viewer looking for hidden and not so hidden messages from its creators.

It shows very clearly and graphically the contrast between the opulence of the trip of the Pope and his multiple assistants and the local poverty.

The close-ups of the pope mobile stress the two different worlds; the Pope's and the people's.

Is that a message to the church asking for a modernization of their public relations strategy?

The TV reporter has no problem broadcasting news he has not confirmed. He talks about a long line of buses waiting to cross the borderline from Brazil, filled with visitors raising the expectations of the viewers.

The many interviews with people who are planning to profit from the Pope's visit feed the hopes of many others without any real basis.

Is that a message to the media, asking for more ethical reporting?

EL BANO DEL PAPA

The Pope�s impending visit to a small Uruguayan town stimulates a flurry of activity among the poorest residents, who hope to strike it rich by catering to the needs of the 50,000 expected pilgrims. Convinced that his idea is the best, one man uses up his family�s savings to build a paying toilet...

It is 1988, and Melo, a Uruguayan town on the Brazilian border, awaits the visit of Pope John Paul II. Numbers begin circulating: hundreds of people will come. No, thousands, say the media. The well-informed speak of 50,000... The poor townspeople know what this means: 50,000 pilgrims in need of food and drink, paper flags, souvenirs, commemorative medals. Brimming with enthusiasm, the villagers not only hope for divine blessing, but above all for a small share of material happiness. And petty smuggler Beto is certain that he�s found the best business idea of all: �The Pope�s Toilet�, where the thousands of pilgrims can find relief� Let others make mountains of chorizo sausages and bake towers of cakes - he will strike it rich with human waste! But before he can build the WC, Beto rushes headlong into trouble. He sorely tries the patience of his stoical but optimistic wife Carmen and disappoints his adolescent daughter Silvia, who dreams of a career in the media. He has to increase his risky and arduous journeys across the border. And he has to bury his long-cherished dream of buying a moped. He even loses his most precious possession - his bicycle - just as he secures the keystone for his temple to waste and wealth: the toilet bowl. But he is determined to make it back in time for the divine event.

An alternatingly touching, humorous and poignant story of human dignity and solidarity from director-scriptwriters Enrique Fern�ndez and noted cinematographer C�sar Charlone (Oscar-nominated "City of God"), co-produced by Oscar-nominee Fernando Meirelles (�City of God", �The Constant Gardener�).

Original Title:

EL BA�O DEL PAPA

Genre:

Tragic Comedy

Produktion Year:

2007

Country:

Uruguay, Brazil, France

Production:

LAROUX Cine

Co-Production:

O2 Filmes, CHAYA Films

Cast:

Beto : Cesar Troncoso
Carmen : Virginia M�ndez
Silvia : Virginia Ruiz
Valvulina : Mario Silva
Nacente : Henry de Le�n
Tica : Jos� Arce
Meleyo : Nelson Lence
Teresa : Rosario Dos Santos
Gordo Luna : Alex Silva
Capit�n �lvarez : Baltasar Burgos
Soldier : Carlos Lerena

Crew:

Producer

ELENA ROUX

Co Producer

ANDREA BARATA RIBEIRO, BEL BERLINCK, FERNANDO MEIRELLES, SERGE CATOIRE

Screenplay

ENRIQUE FERNANDEZ & CESAR CHARLONE

Orig. Screenplay

ENRIQUE FERNANDEZ

Photography

CESAR CHARLONE A.B.C.

Editor

GUSTAVO GIANI

Music

LUCIANO SUPERVIELLE & GABRIEL CASACUBERTA; �Camino de los quileros� by Osiris Rodr�guez Castillos

Costumes

ALEJANDRA ROSASCO

Language:

Spanish

Technical Details:

85 min, 35mm, 1:1.85, Dolby SRD

C�sar Charlone
Born in Uruguay, he worked primarily in Brazil after having studied at the School of Cinema in Sao Paulo. He began working in 1975 as director of photography on documentaries, commercials and feature films for directors such as Murillo Salles, Sergio Resende, Roberto Gervitz and Renato Tapajos. In 1997 he relocated permanently to Brazil and began a career as director of commercials, video clips and several episodes of the TV series "City of Men," whose scripts he also wrote. Since then, he has been working alternately as a director and cinematographer. In 2001 he was responsible for the photography in Fernando Meirelles's "City of God," for which he received several awards including the "Golden Frog" at the Festival of Lodz and an Oscar nomination. In 2003 he worked with Spike Lee and once again with F. Meirelles on "The Constant Gardner," which was nominated for Best Photography at the BAFTA Awards.

Enrique Fernandez
Born in Melo, Uruguay, Fernandez took part in the making of several short films and documentaries in Uruguay and Germany (where he lived for several years) as a scriptwriter, assistant director and cameraman. In 1997 his script "Otario" was filmed by Diego Arsuaga and was the official selection at the Festival of San Sebastian. Fernandez teaches scriptwriting at the Uruguayan School of Cinema.

GRAMADO FILM FESTIVAL / Brazil
-Best actor (Cesar Troncoso)
-Best actress (Virginia M�ndez)
-Best screenplay
-Best film (Critics)
-Audience Award
-Best cinematoghraphy

San Sebastian IFF 2007
- Horizontes Award

Sao Paulo IFF 2007
- Best Film - Prize of the Jury

Cero Latitud IFF 2007
- Best Film

Festival de Cine Iberoamericano de Huelva 2007
- Best Screenplay

San Luis Obispo Int. Film Festival 2007
- Best Actor