Synopsis & Film Details

Che: The Argentine

Actor Benicio Del Toro won the Best Actor Award at the 2008 Cannes Film Festival for his performance in Che: The Argentine, the epic biopic of Ernesto “Che” Guevara. The film begins on November 26, 1956, when Fidel Castro sails to Cuba with 80 rebels. One of those rebels is Che, an Argentine doctor who shares a common goal with Castro — to overthrow the corrupt dictatorship of Fulgencio Batista. Che proves indispensable as a fighter and quickly grasps the art of guerrilla warfare. As he throws himself into the struggle, Che is embraced by his comrades and the Cuban people. The film tracks Che’s rise in the Cuban Revolution, from doctor to commander to revolutionary hero. In Spanish, with English subtitles.

At the beginning of the program, Filmworks will present its annual Audience Awards for the festival’s short film category.

Directed by Steven Soderbergh
USA/France/Spain, 2008, 35mm
2 hrs, 9 min. Rated R.

Part of the 5th Fresno Film Festival (2009).