Antonieta Morineau
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''Antonieta'' is a 1982 film by Spanish director Carlos Saura, starring Isabelle Adjani and
Hanna Schygulla Hanna Schygulla (; born 25 December 1943) is a German actress and chanson singer associated with the theater and film director Rainer Werner Fassbinder. She first worked for Fassbinder in 1965 and became an active participant in the New German ...
. The film, a Mexican-Spanish French co production, was based on a novel by
Andrés Henestrosa Andrés Henestrosa Morales (November 25, 1906 – January 10, 2008) was a Mexican writer and politician. In addition to his prose and poetry, Henestrosa was elected to the federal legislature, serving three terms in the Chamber of Deputies, ...
. The plot centers on the life of
Antonieta Rivas Mercado María Antonieta Rivas Mercado Castellanos (April 28, 1900 – February 11, 1931) was a Mexican intellectual, writer, feminist, and arts patron. Biography Rivas Mercado was born as the second of four children (Alicia, Antonieta, Mario, and A ...
, a
Mexican Mexican may refer to: Mexico and its culture *Being related to, from, or connected to the country of Mexico, in North America ** People *** Mexicans, inhabitants of the country Mexico and their descendants *** Mexica, ancient indigenous people ...
writer who killed herself inside Paris' Notre Dame in 1931.


Plot

Anna, a modern day Parisian psychologist, is researching the cases of women who committed suicide in the 20th Century. She becomes fascinated by the story of Antonieta Rivas Mercado, a Mexican writer and social activist who committed suicide inside
Notre Dame Cathedral Notre-Dame de Paris (; meaning "Our Lady of Paris"), referred to simply as Notre-Dame, is a medieval Catholic cathedral on the Île de la Cité (an island in the Seine River), in the 4th arrondissement of Paris. The cathedral, dedicated to the ...
in Paris. To find more about Antonieta's story, Anna travels to Mexico and interviews people who knew her. She receives her first clues about Antonieta's life from Juana, a Mexican librarian who frames the life of Antonieta Rivas Mercado within a stormy period of Mexico's history, the political turmoil of the 1910s-1920s. Antonieta's personal life was as dark and dramatic as that of her era. She was the daughter of a famous architect and as a child she posed for the golden angel atop the famous Column of Independence in Mexico City. Vargas, a poet, now a middle-aged man, recounts for Ana the life of Antonieta when he met her and they were friends. The story moves back and forth between present and past. As a young woman, Antonieta married but later left her husband and fell madly in love with the painter Manuel Rodríguez Lozano. The painter was married and Antonieta's feelings remained unrequited because Manuel was homosexual. Their Platonic relationship lasted for several years during which she wrote him many love letters, later published in a book. Leon, a Mexican historian, further illustrates Antonieta's life for Anna. Still in love with the painter, Antonieta meets José Vasconcelos, a Mexican intellectual who is running for President of the country on the platform of offering education to the masses. Antonieta, is drawn to the idealistic politician, becoming Vasconcelos' lover and closest advisor. After Vasconcelos is politically defeated, she accompanies him in exile to Paris. They have lost their political idealism. She begs him to tell her if he still needs her. He replies that, really no one needs anyone, only God. Antonieta commits her last dramatic act, by pressing a pistol to her heart in the pews of Notre Dame.


Cast

* Isabelle Adjani -
Antonieta Rivas Mercado María Antonieta Rivas Mercado Castellanos (April 28, 1900 – February 11, 1931) was a Mexican intellectual, writer, feminist, and arts patron. Biography Rivas Mercado was born as the second of four children (Alicia, Antonieta, Mario, and A ...
*
Hanna Schygulla Hanna Schygulla (; born 25 December 1943) is a German actress and chanson singer associated with the theater and film director Rainer Werner Fassbinder. She first worked for Fassbinder in 1965 and became an active participant in the New German ...
- Anna * Ignacio López Tarso - Vargas * Carlos Bracho - José Vasconcelos * Gonzalo Vega -
Manuel Rodríguez Lozano Manuel Rodríguez Lozano (December 4, 1896 – March 27, 1971) was a List of Mexican artists, Mexican painter, known for his “melancholy” depiction of Mexico rather than the more dominant political or festive one of the Mexican muralism movem ...
*
Héctor Alterio Héctor Benjamín Alterio Onorato (born 21 September 1929) is an Argentine theatre, film and television actor, well known both in Argentina and Spain. Biography Alterio's theatre debut came in 1948 as the lead in ''Cómo suicidarse en prima ...
- León *
Diana Bracho Diana Bracho (born Diana Guadalupe Bracho y Bordes Mangel; 12 December 1944, in Mexico City, Mexico) is a Mexican actress. Early life Diana Bracho is the daughter of actor/director Julio Bracho, the niece of actress Andrea Palma and the aunt of ...
- Juana


Production

''Antonieta'' was originally a project of the director and editor Rafael Castanedo, who had the Mexican actress Diana Bracho in mind for the role of Antonieta Rivas Mercado. The project was delayed because Castanedo was unable to find financing to make the film. Margarita López Portillo, the director of Radio, Televisión y Cinematografía, took over the project reshaping it as a co-production with Spain inviting renowned Spanish director Carlos Saura to direct the film. German actress Hanna Shygulla was cast as the journalist investigating Antonieta's suicide. Jean-Claude Carriere, Luis Buñuel's script writer, was assigned the adaptation of the story. Diana Bracho was still in the project, but López Portillo decided to cast Isabelle Adjani in the leading role. Diana Bracho was given a small role instead.


DVD release

''Antonieta'' was released on DVD on October 11, 2005 by Vanguard Cinema.


External links

* * {{Carlos Saura 1982 films 1982 drama films Spanish drama films 1980s Spanish-language films Mexican drama films French drama films Films based on Mexican novels Films directed by Carlos Saura Films about writers Cultural depictions of Mexican women Cultural depictions of writers 1980s French films 1980s Mexican films