The film won many awards when first released and , as such , the drama was widely well received in the 1980s . Walter Goodman , film critic for '' The New York Times , '' believes the film was well balanced , and wrote , " Mr. Puenzo 's film is unwaveringly committed to human rights , yet it imposes no ideology or doctrine . The further miracle is that this is the 39-year-old director 's first feature film . " Critic Roger Ebert lauded the film in his film review , writing , " '' The Official Story '' is part polemic , part thriller , part tragedy . It belongs on the list with films like '' Z '' , '' Missing '' and '' El Norte , '' which examine the human aspects of political unrest . It is a movie that asks some very hard questions ... Alicia is played in the movie by Norma Aleandro , whose performance won the best actress award at this year 's Cannes Film Festival . It is a performance that will be hard to forget , particularly since so much of it is internal . Some of the key moments in the film come as we watch Aleandro and realize what must be taking place inside her mind , and inside her conscience . Most political films play outside the countries that they are about ; " The Official Story " is now actually playing in Argentina , where it must be almost unbearably painful for some of the members of its audiences . It was almost as painful for me . " Film critics Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat , of the website '' Spirituality and Practice , '' were painfully touched by the story they viewed . They write , " '' The Official Story '' is a wrenching and painful drama that crystallizes the horror and the obscenity of political activities that annihilate family solidarity in the name of ideology ... '' The Official Story '' packs a shattering visceral punch . " A few critics were dismissive of the story Puenzo tells . For example , '' The Chicago Reader '' Dave Kehr thought " Puenzo 's methods are so crudely manipulative ... that the film quickly uses up the credit of its good intentions . "
Cannes Film Festival
1985 Cannes Film Festival
The Official Story