Chiquititas: rincón de luz is a 2001 Argentine fantasy-adventure film directed by José Luis Massa and written by Alex Ferrara and Walter Ferrara. Based on the television series of same name which began on Argentine television in 1995. The film was released in Argentina on 12 July 2001, and is produced by Cris Morena, creator of Chiquititas original television series. Starring Romina Yan, Facundo Arana, Camila Bordonaba, Felipe Colombo, Benjamín Rojas, Luisana Lopilato, Nadia Di Cello, Milagros Flores, Agustín Sierra, Natalia Melcon, Sebastián Francini, Federico Barón and Brian Vainberg. The antagonists were Juan Leyrado and Alejandra Flechner.
Plot
The story follows the life of some orphans who are forced to work on a farm run by Colonel Francisco Estévez (Juan Leyrado) and also by Marga Calvo (Alejandra Flechner). Until Belén Fraga (Romina Yan) comes across the book that Tok (Brian Vainberg) and the Old Wise Man recommended to her, Belén meets Alejo Méndez Ayala (Facundo Arana) who lives with a boy named Felipe Mejía (Felipe Colombo). But the colonel was interested in a cave that contained very expensive diamonds until in the end the diamonds are from Belén. It is a story full of magic and songs.
Cast
Protagonists
Romina Yan as Belén Fraga
Facundo Arana as Alejo Méndez Ayala
Main cast
Camila Bordonaba as Camila Bustillo
Benjamín Rojas as Bautista Arce
Luisana Lopilato as Luisana Maza
Felipe Colombo as Felipe Mejía
Sebastián Francini as Sebastián Mansilla
Nadia Di Cello as María Fernández
Milagros Flores as Juana Maza
Agustín Sierra as Agustín Maza
Natalia Melcon as Natalia Ramos Pacheco Acevedo
Federico Barón as Federico Martínez
Cristian Belgrano as Cristián Maza
Brian Vainberg as Tok
Antagonists
Juan Leyrado as Coronel Francisco Estévez
Alejandra Flechner as Marga Calvo
Participations
Roberto Carnaghi as Mayor
Franklin Caicedo as Old Wise Man
Gilda Gentile as Gypsy
Lelio Lesser as Man in town
Alejandra Perlusky as Fish Saleswoman
Gustavo Pastorini as Conejero
Carlos Kaspar as Huevero
Production
The first plans of a Chiquititas film began four years before the start of this production. The project was supposed to be made for the Brazilian audience but ideas later dropped out.
The movie was shot in 2000 in Villa La Angostura.
Music
Chiquititas: rincón de luz features, in addition to the television show's cast, the songs that became a hit with the Chiquititas Argentine young audience, such as "Pimpollo", "Había una vez", "Penitas", and the main title song that featured in Chiquititas show's third season, "Rinconcito de luz".
The actress Camila Bordonaba and the actor Felipe Colombo sang the song "Pimpollo" in Hebrew for the Israel play Katantanot based on the film Chiquititas: rincón de luz
Reception
The Chiquititas feature film was not screened for critics, as it was basically a result of the huge success among children from Argentina and other countries, like Israel. However, it received mixed to negative reviews. Reviewers stated that rincón de luz presented typical elements from famous American musical/fantasy films (which Cris Morena herself enjoys) such as The Sound of Music and The NeverEnding Story. The film received a positive review from Argentine newspaper La Nación.
The film was a huge success at the Israeli box office, and was adapted into a musical production in the country. Actors Sebastián Francini and Nadia Di Cello were featured in a presentation.