The Dependent

Leonardo Favio's 1969 Argentine film follows Fernández, who works in a hardware shop. His life passes between the shop and his home; his employer is old and he hopes the business will come to him. Meeting a woman changes that waiting. Fernández wants to marry, but his plan depends on the old man's death; the narrative carries that patience somewhere frightening and shows the thought settling inside an ordinary life. It is among Favio's early films and was shot in black and white. The narrative keeps dialogue sparse and puts its weight on repeated daily movements. Walter Vidarte and Graciela Borges lead. Who it's for: those who like the history of Argentine cinema and plain storytelling. Who it's not for: viewers expecting pace; the film is almost entirely waiting.