The history of Latin America has evolved into a deep and enriching culture that has attracted foreigners from all over the world. However, “Cautiva” revealed that there is an unbeknownst reality amongst Argentineans that still exists.

In Argentina there existed a regime from March 24, 1976 until Dec. 10, 1983, that was called “The Dirty War,” but it is also recognized as “The National Reorganization Process.” “The Dirty War” reigned in a time period in which existed many acts of violence within the Argentinean population and the government that ruled as a military junta.

The enriching and innovative movie “Cautiva” focused on the life prior to when the protagonist Cristina Quadri was born. The protagonist lived with her loving yet caring parents named Pablo and Adela Quadri, who were a relatively middle-class family. Later, “Cautiva” discloses that the parents of Cristina Quadri are not really her parents because her biological parents have disappeared under the Argentinean dictatorship. Cristina, however, has yet to find this out. Unfortunately, Cristina discovers this shocking information when she is taken out of class, only to find out that she will be transported to a judge who will explain to her what is going on.

As the awkward silence slowly comes to an end, the judge informs Cristina that her real name is Sofia Lombardi and added that her parents have disappeared and they’re nowhere to be found. It’s a truth that does not seem like reality to Cristina (or Sofia) and she escapes the court house once no one is looking. As she is close to arriving home, the police capture Cristina and take her back to the court house. There she is informed that she will not be staying with her “parents” but yet with her biological grandmother, Elisa.

“Cautiva” progresses and Cristina Quadri feels an urge to ask questions of her biological parents’ past and why they mysteriously disappeared; many of her questions, however, remained unanswered so she decided to turn to her classmate at school. There she confesses that she is out on a search for the genuine truth that everyone seemingly conceals from her. With the help of her friend, Cristina learns that her biological parents were arrested, jailed, tortured and later executed without a fair trial from the government.

In order to understand the rather captivating movie “Cautiva,” it is absolutely necessary to investigate and research the history on Argentina within the 20th century. The individuals who were captivated and jailed without a fair trial from the government were leftist’s activists whom were a group of journalists, students, Marxists, syndicalists and guerilla groups that fought against the corrupted government that seemed to not let go of the power they obtained over the Argentinean people. March 24, 1976 marked a period in which several who were opposed to the government stood up for what they believed in and overthrew the president that was in place, Isabel Martínez Perón. She was the wife of the prior president of Argentina, which was Juan Domingo Perón.

Juan Domingo Perón installed Peronism when he dictated Argentina from 1946 till 1955 and returned as president once again from 1973 till 1974 until he passed away in his home.

 Though his ideology was not accepted by all Argentineans, Perón’s policies still remain within the government of Argentina and stills exist as the Justicialist Party. When Isabel Martínez Perón was overthrown by Jorge Rafael Videla and his army, he immediately began a campaign that would malevolently outcast the leftist’s (liberals), whom he believed were “political terrorists”.

Those liberals whom were considered to be “political terrorists” by Videla’s army were arrested or even kidnapped randomly on the streets. These people were never to be found again and were considered to have “disappeared” without any question. Half of those who disappeared were ultimately killed or sent to the United States, unbeknownst to the families who suffered for their loved one.