A Twelve-Year Night (2018) Poster

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8/10
Must watch!!!
panayiotis-8248124 December 2018
Please watch this movie... A beautiful movie.. A brilliant true story.. This are not a marvel heroes!! This are the true super heroes!!!
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8/10
Amazing movie...
Thanos_Alfie3 January 2019
"A Twelve-Year Night" (La noche de 12 años) is a Drama - History movie in which we are in Uruguay of 1973 which is governed by a military dictatorship and we follow three Tupamaro prisoners. After a period of time in jail, they are taken from their jail cells in a secret military operation. This secret military operation is very simple and very precise since they cannot kill them they will drive them mad. The three prisoners will remain in jail and especially in solitary confinement for twelve years.

I liked this movie very much because it is based on true events and because it presents the big fight that these three men fought for twelve years. This movie shows also the true face of military dictatorship and what is able to do if nobody fights back and let it act freely. About the direction which was made by Álvaro Brechner who is also the writer, I have to admit that I was happily surprised by it and I believe that his job in this movie was simply exceptional. I also enjoyed the interpretations of Antonio de la Torre who played as José Mujica, Alfonso Tort who played as Eleuterio Fernández Huidobro and Chino Darín who played as Mauricio Rosencof. Another good but short interpretation that has to be mentioned was Soledad Villamil's who played as Psiquiatra.

In conclusion, I have to say that "A Twelve-Year Night" (La noche de 12 años) is an amazing movie with an interesting plot, an exceptional direction, and many good scenes. If you are a fan of Latin America movies like "Nueve reinas", "El Secreto de Sus Ojos", "Wild Tales" and "Nieve negra" then this is the movie you have to watch because I am sure that you are going to love it. But even if you haven't watched any of these movies I believe that you are going to enjoy watching it for all the previous reasons I wrote.
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7/10
Worth The Watch
Amira-Says29 December 2018
What really gripped me here is that this movie was based on real men who spent twelve long years in solitary confinement. The first thing to know is that this is a drama so don't expect tons of action and war like a lot of military films.

This film depicts these three men and their suffering while desperately trying to cling onto hope. Not everyone talks about it, but this is a sad reality for a lot of political prisoners or hostages. The film does well capturing the pain and torment these men endured at the hands of their captures.

I do however feel like we could have received more detailed background on their detainment as those scenes were sometimes unclear. Considering how long the film is, they could have easily cut some of the repetition towards the second half and focused more on that. Other than being called communists, it's a little unclear of the actual events that led them to be locked up in the first place.
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9/10
A must see
FrenchEddieFelson2 April 2019
This movie is outstanding! Carefully documented, it reconstitutes the confinement, the total isolation, the abuse of all kinds that endured three political prisoners of the Tupamaros movement, during twelve long years, knowing that the military dictatorship of the Uruguay began with the coup of June 27, 1973. Thus, Álvaro Brechner has managed, with a superior ease, a cinematographic challenge: transform a soporific event in a journey as breathless as undesired. Soporific? Well... it's unfortunately a fact: in the depths of their prison, these three compañeros spent 99% of their day doing seemingly nothing. Thanks to Álvaro Brechner and these three splendid actors, you will be completely immersed in prison horror, even if you are devoid of empathy. You will be fully aware of this confused state of anxiety, hallucination, anger, fear, nightmare, resistance and hope that these three protagonists had naturally to go through. The director's approach is more psychological than truly political: through this story, he highlights the capacity of resilience and the ability to remain honest.

Moreover, the song of Simon and Garfunkel, "The Sound of Silence", interpreted almost a cappella by Silvia Pérez Cruz, moves the audience to the tears. A rare emotional force in perfect harmony with the movie!

Finally, in order to quibble a little bit, two hardly credible scenes: 1) A blindfold chess game via a Morse-code communication? 2) All the Uruguayan military bureaucracy would be necessary to realize the impossibility of defecating in a vertical position? Allow me doubting about these two scenes, but it's so comforting to imagine these men trying to break their loneliness (for the first one), and it's so hilarious (for the second one).

As a synthesis: what a masterful work!!
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10/10
Pure Latin American Reality
bola_de_pu9 November 2018
I'm Puerto Rican, I love Latin and Hispanic cinema and when I find productions that are gems of our countries I feel proud like a little child with a medal. A vibrant, exciting and very sad film. Anyone who wants to know a piece of Latin America, I invite you to see this movie, one of those stories that have shaped what we are, for better or for worse. The main actors of first level. Soledad Villamil equal or better than in "El Secreto de Sus Ojos" and Antonio De La Torre with another brutal, exciting, historical interpretation, which puts him back on my personal list of Latin American favored actors of the last decade with Benicio Del Toro, Ricado Darín and Leonardo Sbaraglia. Without much to say, if you are an admirer of Latin American history, I recommend you to see the film without subjective emotions that cloud your thinking. It's incredible, as Mujica became President of Uruguay after the events that took place. Utopian, everything, probably the best film of Latin America in 2018 and one of the best latin american productions of the last decade. Pure Latin American history.
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Hard
MAD_PIGE0N26 August 2021
For start - better check the biography of the people represented in that movie, it'll give you a better overview over the events, as it's poorly presented in the production. But it's good. And by "hard" I mean what those people survived. It may seem as not that bad, yet of course being in terrible condition prisons, but that's what it is - nothing (!) happened to those people for twelve years aside from suppressing their existence even there. Almost no contact with others, not being let to go outside, not been given anything to spend their time and this really is a torture that can drive a person insane. Even the smallest everyday activity we don't care about (like going to the toiled) was a breath of air for them.
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6/10
Overlong and depressing Uruguay/Spain/Argentina co-production with very good performances
ma-cortes1 February 2019
A downbeat imprisonment arises with physical abuse and cruel violence against three Tupamaros inmates . Tupamaros, also known as the MLN-T (Movimiento de Liberación Nacional-Tupamaros or Tupamaros National Liberation Movement), was a left-wing urban guerrilla group in Uruguay in the 1960s and 1970s. The Tupamaros formed in this time of instability, as a youthful group of students and professionals with terrorist purports . They attracted trade union members, students, and people of poor socioeconomic status from rural areas 1973. Uruguay is governed by a military dictatorship. One autumn night, three Tupamaro prisoners are taken from their jail cells in a secret military operation. The order is precise: "As we can't kill them, let's drive them mad." The three men (Antonio de la Torre, Chino Darín, Alfonso Tort ) will remain in solitary confinement for twelve years. Among them José Mujica (Antonio de la Torre) , who later became president of Uruguay, was also a member .

This film La noche de 12 años (2018) based on true story concerns about a group of Tupamaros are locked in several different jails , it turns into fascist situations when the jailers employ drastic tortures and pains including crude punishment , physical abuse , panic attack and brutal violence. Wrenching, documentary- like account of prisoners suffering terrible and cruel tortures . And sadly showing quite a few amoral roles , corruption , badness and despicable acts of pure evil carried out by some wardens . Graphic and depressing, including violent and disagreeable scenes. It is not for all tastes, but nonetheless well , but slowly , done.The movie contains a thoughtful plot with emotion , psychological studio and lots of physical violence . Although it is quite interesting, however, packing some tiring moments and and results to be very claustrophobic. The picture is rated ¨R¨, because of it displays strong scenes with punching , kicking , strong tortures , male nudity, grisly killing and profanities. Casting is frankly excellent with special mention for the trio protagonist . Antonio De la Torre gives a magnificent acting as José Mugica , Uruguay's future President . He is an excellent actor, known for Balada triste de trompeta (2010), La isla mínima (2014) and Caníbal (201 and being a Goya winner . At the beginning his career he worked many years as a sports journalist in Canal Sur. Turning a fine actor thanks to study with Cristina Rota actor's studio . He even gained 33 kilos to play the role of Enrique in Gordos (2009) . He is very well accompanied by Chino Darín, and Alfonso Tort who give fabulous interpretation . It displays a pounding as well as stirring musical score by Federico Jusid . And an adequate and evocative Cinematography by Carlos Catalán , shot on several locations in Madrid , Pamplona, Navarra, Spain and Montevideo, Uruguay . The motion picture ¨ A Twelve-Year Night¨ (World-wide, English title) was professionally directed by Álvaro Brechner . Alvaro was born in 1976 in Montevideo, Uruguay. He is a nice filmmaker , producer and writer, known for Mal día para pescar (2009), Kaplan (2014) and this La noche de 12 años (2018). The film won a lot of awards and nominations such as Havana Film Festival 2018 Winner Asociación Cubana de Prensa Cinematográfica Best Film . International Crime and Punishment Film Festival 2018 Winner International Golden Scale Award . Resistance International Film Festival 2018 Winner Best Director Álvaro Brechner . Uruguayan Film Critics Association 2018 Winner UFCA Award Best Film , Álvaro Brechner , Best Uruguayan Film , Best Actor Alfonso Tort , Best Actress Mirella Pascual , Best Music Federico Jusid , Best Editing Nacho Ruiz Capillas .Huelva Latin American Film Festival 2018 , Winner Silver Colon Best Director Álvaro Brechner , Best Actor Alfonso Tort , Best Technical and Artistic Contribution Álvaro Brechner , Winner León Ortega Award Best Cinematography Carlos Catalán , among others .

Adding some remarks about the tumultuous existence of this terrorist organization : The Tupamaros peaked as a guerrilla group in 1970 and 1971. The MLN-T is inextricably linked to its most important leader, Raúl Sendic, and his brand of social politics. During this period they made liberal use of their Cárcel del Pueblo (or People's Prison) where they held those that they kidnapped and interrogated them, before making the results of these interviews public. A number of these hostages was later ransomed for considerable sums of money, including the Brazilian Consul in Montevideo, Aloysio Dias Gomide . In September 1971 over 100 imprisoned Tupamaros escaped the Punta Carretas prison by digging a hole across their cells and then a tunnel that led from the floor of one ground-level cell to the living room of a nearby home. As a result of this, the government summoned the military to prepare a counter-insurgency campaign to suppress the MLN.Nonetheless, in 1972 the group was quickly crippled by a series of events. First, it had started to engage in political violence since 1970, a choice that weakened its popular support. Second, the group responded to the assassination and/or disappearance of four Tupamaros on the part of illegal parapolice squads with a wave of high-profile assassinations that concentrated political opposition against them. Later on, the MLN directly attacked the military and killed a number of soldiers. The army's response was swift; it included the heavy use of torture and the flipping of high-ranking Tupamaros, including Héctor Amodio Pérez, towards collaborating with them .The Tupamaro movement was named after the revolutionary Túpac Amaru II, who in 1780 led a major indigenous revolt against the Viceroyalty of Peru. Its origins lie in the union between the Movimiento de Apoyo al Campesino (Peasant Support Movement), members of trade unions founded by Sendic in poverty-stricken rural zones, and radicalized cells of the Socialist Party of Uruguay. The Tupamaros collapsed in mid-1972, with the army killing many of them and capturing a majority of the rest. Shortly after defeating the MLN the military successively confronted the independence of the judiciary in October 1972, of the civilian executive branch in February 1973, and lastly the independence of the parliament in June 1973. On this latter occasion, it completed its coup d'état by deploying armored vehicles in the capital and shutting down the legislative branch by request of the Uruguayan President. Nine Tupamaros were specially chosen to remain in squalid conditions, including Sendic, Fernández Huidobro, José Mujica, Henry Engler, and Mauricio Rosencof. They remained there until the restoration of liberal democracy in Uruguay in 1985. During the intervening years, the military regime killed and "disappeared" additional numbers of people, focusing particularly on the Communist Party of Uruguay.The dictatorship in Uruguay ended in 1984 when democratic elections were held and under Julio María Sanguinetti, the new president, amnesty was granted to the Tupamaros. The Tupamaros were released from prison after over a decade and they joined together in representing the Frente Amplio coalition party. In 2004, Tabaré Vásquez was the first to become president on the "Frente Amplio" ticket.

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10/10
A cinematic masterpiece influenced by a sad poetic spirit.
ahmednasr923 January 2019
The film, which appears to be a political film at the beginning, is a film about human nature, how people think, believe and survive, in fact. A cinematic masterpiece influenced by a sad poetic spirit.
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7/10
Engrossing
grahampogue16 November 2021
This movie could have easily been boring. Instead it was a beautifully captivating story about the power of the human spirit.

And for me it was an added bonus to learn about events that I was previously ignorant of.

Well done.
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10/10
A masterpiece!
jeanette_fjeldheim30 December 2018
This film really is a masterpiece! It reminds me of how cruel people can be to one another and how strong the will to survive under terrible circumstances really is. It's also a reminder of how lucky I am to live in a democracy (Norway).
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7/10
Informative
saraccan30 March 2021
It's an entertaining way to learn about an important era of a country that may not seem important to non-Latin Americans. Makes you realize how some countries and regions share extremely similar histories around the world.

A biographical movie about 3 guys who are against the military dictatorship in Uruguay in the 70s.
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10/10
A must see!
mirco-soffritti25 November 2018
A gem of a movie, a punch in the stomach, a bunch of incredible actors. A story that needs to be know.
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7/10
Good acting, flabby political background
manugw5 January 2019
This is the story of the ordeal suffered by three Uruguayan leftwing guerrillas "Tupamaros" that are captured by the rightwing military rulers and kept in solitary confinement under appalling conditions twelve years in different prisons during the 70s. The film features good acting and prison scenes without cheap gore and violence to keep a message of intellectual treatment of the subject, but lacks the enactment of the political climate of those years, necessary to enlight viewers around the world to what was actually happening in Uruguay at that time. These three guerrillas later became Goverment officers, one of them Jose Mujica, was elected President of Uruguay in 2010
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9/10
One of the best pictures this year
world-like-this31 December 2018
This movie was a surprise to me , powerful story and great performances, sometimes hard and disturbing to watch but that what this people suffered for their freedom
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10/10
12 years of loneliness
DogePelis201517 August 2021
It is an excellent Uruguayan film; the plot is very good and the performances are sublime; it is a very tragic event. TOTALLY RECOMMENDED!
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7/10
I broke my movie virginity in Uruguay
wickedmikehampton16 December 2020
I broke my movie virginity in Uruguay, a country I'd love to visit but realise that this may be the closest I get.

Uruguay is the most stable and progressive country in South America yet it had a dark history when the army overthrew the government. 'A Twelve-Year Night' is a biopic of 3 revolutionaries who were kept in solitary confinement for 12 years!

I doubt I could do what they did. The lack of books and paper would've driven me insane.

When democracy returned in the Mid 80s, they got their freedom. The writer became the Cultural Director for the arts in Montevideo. One became Senator. Another became President in 2010.

Hopefully 'Twelve-Year Night' was merely my virtual introduction to a real flight across the Atlantic one day.
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8/10
Unfortunately, a current theme.
andrebatucadabsb29 December 2018
A film that shows how extremism takes away people's lives and freedom. Great performances and perfect music.
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6/10
Better than the fries we ordered, but that's about only it
pieter_dep3 February 2020
Warning: Spoilers
After having stared to a screen without actually noticing what was happening, we decided to order fries. Luckily the restaurant forgot to add taste to the menu, which made our boredom of the movie completely fade away. We are all sick now.
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8/10
Historical and perfectly depicted film
andresurreta7 January 2019
Both also during the script and the visually production this film has power, history, pain and hope to keep the spector feeling the intrigue and strength necessary for a real life story like this. Full claps and ovations for the director, producer and the cast, starting with the masterpiece performance of Chino Darin, Antonio de la torre and for sure Alfonso Tort.

Highly recommended specially for public expecting historical perspectives
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8/10
Humbling to watch
embrenchia18 January 2019
This movie gives one a ring side seat into human depravity on the hand and the human spirit on the other. Enthralling cinema.
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1/10
Boring torture porno
truebatmantd24 April 2024
If you are the type of person that enjoys watching people getting tortured, abused, beaten and mistreated for 2 hours, you will enjoy this movie very much. Get your popcorn and enjoy your show but if you are a decent human being who hates that kind of stuff, you won't find much in this movie.

The movie offers nothing else really. It's just 2 hours of abuse and mistreatment that was endured by 3 characters and that's about it. If you expect the movie to offer anything else beyond that, you'll be hugely disappointed.

Of course this is IMDB where every movie ever made is called a "masterpiece" so this movie also gets called that but then again the whole word lost its meaning long time ago when 99% of all movies are called masterpiece by people here.
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9/10
A Masterpiece. You have to watch it
chaouachiyoussef14 January 2019
I loved the movie. Great cast and great music. The movie is about repression, patience and struggle. It shows how humans can be crual to other humans and how dictatorships are ready to do whatever it takes to stay and to live. You know I am from a country that has made a revolution few years ago and got out from dictatorship to democracy. The same practices were done in our prisons with the regime opponents. But regardless the power of the regime and the dictatorship, one day the people will revolt and take over his freedom and that's the message that we can learn from this movie. Another thing: do not expect yo live free and in democracy in a military regime. Thank you for this movie and thank you for restoring my faith in humanity.
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9/10
Cruelty
psikolik2 January 2021
Warning: Spoilers
I could felt the cruelty in my bones. It's a true story and we could see 3 prisoners life. I wanted the underline the pepe's mother's quote if you give you will lose!
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9/10
If You Need A Great Film (and want a bit of Porteño History)...
sftrojan29 December 2018
This is an excellent film which I hope gets presented as the Foreign Language entry for any of the producing countries. Great for students of Spanish-Latin as the diagolue is poignant, but relaxed and at times juxtaposed with a few of the film's own Spanish subtitles.
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10/10
A masterpiece
thomahal5 January 2019
This is a great Movie, that helps you understand the reality in South America during the many dictatorships there. I have seen quite a few of the US made movies, but this is the first Latin American.

What I am missing, is a summary of what happened to the military leadership, and prison guards responsible for many of the atrocities against these political prisoners.
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