White Elephant review

Inspired by the real-life case of murdered Argentinean activist cleric Father Mugica, Pablo Trapero’s film unfolds in a shanty town on the edges of Buenos Aires.

Menaced by gangs, the slum is the workplace of an atheist community organiser (Martina Gusman) and two socially committed Catholic priests: the terminally ill Julian (Ricardo Darín) and his pragmatic colleague Nicolas (Jeremie Renier).

Writer/director Trapero arguably crams too much into the film’s running time, but potent turns and Michael Nyman’s yearning score are among the compensations.