I think there's something very beautiful in making true declarations but in a way of a movie with a story and not precisely a documentary. "Fast Food Nation" is a perfect example, but it's from the United States. Enrique Piñeyro's "Whisky Romeo Zulu" is from my own Argentina, and it's a piece of the bravest and most encouraging nature.
See, Piñeyro was a pilot working for an Argentinean flight company. This company had problems with safety: they didn't check their planes correctly; they didn't give enough vacations to their pilots and many other things we discover through Piñeyro's eyes that, if you are Argentinean, you'll probably recognize. This is a story of popular knowledge in my country, but it was never viewed from this perspective: from the inside; from the guy who warned the tragedy.
Piñeyro got suspended and what he loved the most was taken away from him: flying. How he shows this in the film, how he places every character with an immense degree of reality is what's brave about the film; how his camera shoots the sky and the clouds (clear and peaceful, with love) is what's beautiful about his decision of using cinema to express his feelings.
There are details of his work that are worth analyzing. His screenplay for example
It has him as the main character, as himself, but it's so wonderfully crafted that we never get to listen to his real name, because he's always called by his rank or by people who already know him in the story and don't need to call him by name.
A special mention has to go to the technical team, led by assistant director Emiliano Torres. He and all the rest are well recognized professionals of their field, not only in Argentina but internationally.
In terms of performances, the film's cast includes big important national stars, respected actors. It is sort of a 'dream cast', but to describe them individually does no good with a film like this. The only crucial performance in "Whisky Romeo Zulu" is Piñeyro's
His character and he are the same person, but is he emphasizing this in his performances? I can't tell, but his work is the most natural I've seen this year.
Well, maybe there's another crucial performance in the film, played by the always superb Mercedes Morán. But her role is so unexpected and part of a romantic subplot that's so well placed in the film's plot line, that telling anything about it would be a sin.
