Name: Así o de otra manera
Genre: Drama
Released: 1996-06-13
Duration: 1 h 35 min
Rating: 6.2
Cast: Mario Passano, Beatriz Barbieri, Zulema Katz

If Leonardo Favio excelled at portraying life in small-town Argentina, David José Kohon was primarily the filmmaker of the city. A family drama set in a small town, _Así o de otra manera_ is thus the oddity in Kohon's career, but it is nevertheless an outstanding film.

While her father finds work, María (Beatriz Barbieri), a teenage girl from Buenos Aires, spends some time in the country with her distant relatives, Teresa and her husband Juan. The evident mutual attraction between María and Juan does not make Teresa happy, and she insists on sending María back to her parents. Juan, for his part, keeps looking for ways to be alone with María.

Reminiscent of Luis Buñuel's Mexican films (I'm thinking, for instance, of _Susana_), _Así o de otra manera_ could be described as an Argentinean response to Kubrick's _Lolita_, which was released two years before Kohon's film was made. The victim of censorship, _Así o de otra manera_ was not shown in theatres until 1996.

Like many other female characters in Kohon's films, María is assertive, if a little self-destructive; Kohon's men, on the other hand, tend to be naïve. Beatriz Barbieri, who actually bears a resemblance to Sue Lyon, is simply perfect in the role of a girl on the verge of womanhood. Her career did not take off, however, and she only appeared in three feature films, of which _Así o de otra manera_ was the last.

With _Así o de otra manera_, Kohon proved that he could tell stories both in the urban and in the rural settings, with equal success. This may be his least representative film, but it is as gripping and memorable as any of his other works.

Spanish-language cinema across Spain and Latin America is united by its engagement with history, cultural identity, and social transformation. In Spain, films often balance artistic experimentation with popular genres while reflecting on memory, politics, and family. In Latin America, cinema has been deeply tied to questions of colonial legacy, resistance, and community resilience, ranging from intimate dramas to bold political allegories.

Ana Torrent in The Spirit of the Beehive (1973)

The drama genre is a broad category that features stories portraying human experiences, emotions, conflicts, and relationships in a realistic and emotionally impactful way. Dramas delve into the complexities of human life, often exploring themes of love, loss, morality, societal issues, personal growth, with the aim to evoke an emotional response from the audience by presenting relatable and thought-provoking stories.

Mahershala Ali and Alex R. Hibbert in Moonlight (2016)

María, a teenager from Buenos Aires, goes to stay with her distant relatives, Teresa and her husband Juan, who live in a small town. Tensions arise when an attraction develops between Juan and María.

Get a closer look at some of Hollywood's perfect pairs.

Hollywood Power Couples

Get a closer look at some of Hollywood&#39;s perfect pairs.

"The Gentlemen" and "Slow Horses" return this fall, while the "Reacher" spin-off series "Neagley" makes its debut. See our guide of the biggest Fall TV and streaming releases.

2026 Fall TV and Streaming Watch Guide

&quot;The Gentlemen&quot; and &quot;Slow Horses&quot; return this fall, while the &quot;Reacher&quot; spin-off series &quot;Neagley&quot; makes its debut. See our guide of the biggest Fall TV and streaming releases.

Get a closer look at these actors from their many TV and streaming series roles.

Streaming Stars, Then and Now

Buenos Aires, Federal District, Argentina

Así o de otra manera

Photos

Top Cast9

User reviews1

Related interests

Storyline

Did you know

Top picks

Details

Tech specs

Contribute to this page

More to explore

Recently viewed