For lovers of Latin American cinema, actor and director Daniel Hendler is, at the very least, a fascinating figure. His early roles as an actor in Uruguayan cinema, under the direction of Pablo Stoll, helped forge a particular image of Montevideo: that of an intimate, everyday, and profoundly cinematic city. In 25 Watts (2001), we follow three young people through the Uruguayan capital for 24 hours; and in the now legendary Whisky (2004), considered by many to be one of the best films in the history of Uruguayan cinema, Hendler consolidated a presence that would transcend borders.
His connection to Argentina is also profound. Hendler is the partner of the renowned actress and director Ana Katz, to whom VLAFF has already dedicated exhibitions, and together with Buenos Aires director Daniel Burman, he made four feature films, exploring, among other themes, Jewish identity in Buenos Aires. One of those films, The Broken Embrace, earned Hendler the Best Actor award at the Berlin International Film Festival in 2004.
A Loose End, our opening film, is Daniel Hendler’s third feature film as a director: a perhaps lesser-known facet of his career, but no less significant.
Ten years would pass before Hendler returned to feature films. In between, he acted—a lot—but he also directed series, broadening a perspective that seems to move naturally between different formats and styles.
With A Loose End, Daniel Hendler confirms himself as a director of enormous sensitivity and a distinctive voice within Río de la Plata cinema. This time, the setting is a territory the director himself has been traversing for decades: that back-and-forth between Argentina and Uruguay, between two countries that share a history, a culture, and a particular sense of humor, but that also reveal their own differences.
Here, that shared territory once again becomes cinematic material. Hendler observes borders—geographic, emotional, and personal—with the same blend of humor, melancholy, and humanity that has characterized his work as an actor and director.
Let’s take a look back. Hendler made his feature film directorial debut with the endearing Norberto’s Deadline, a dramedy released in 2010 and enthusiastically received from its premiere at the Locarno Film Festival. In Hendler’s own words, the film “is about a guy who starts to discover his ability to lie.” Later came The Candidate, starring Ana Katz and Diego De Paula, where he again explores, through dramedy, the behind-the-scenes machinations and tensions of a presidential campaign in Uruguay.
The Pope’s Toilet (2008) was the first film from Uruguay to host the opening night of VLAFF. Now, we’re thrilled to welcome A Loose End as we kick off the celebrations of the very best in Latin American cinema! 🎬✨
Join us as we celebrate stories, voices, and filmmakers from across Latin America.