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Playback. Ensayo de una despedida

Playback
TEDDY 40 2026
© Agustina Comedi
Argentina in the late 1980s: Catholic, conservative and shaped by a military dictatorship. “La Delpi”, the sole survivor of a group of transgender women and drag queens, talks about how their shows in basement theatres galvanised the community and helped them in their struggle against AIDS and police violence. How they healed their wounds with lipstick, playback performances and improvised stage outfits. And how they invented happy endings for those who were to die. A farewell letter compiled from VHS memories.
by Agustina Comedi (Director, Screenplay)
with Marcos García, La Delpi, Martín Shanly Argentina 2019 Spanish 14' Colour Documentary form

TEDDY 40

Playback. Ensayo de una despedida celebrated its Berlinale premiere at the 2020 Berlinale Shorts.

With

  • Marcos García
  • La Delpi
  • Martín Shanly

Crew

Director Agustina Comedi
Screenplay Agustina Comedi
Cinematography Magalí Mérida
Editing Valeria Racioppi
Sound Design Guido Deniro
Production Design Ana Lucía Frau
Costumes Romina Gutiérrez
Make-Up Eva Perea
Producer Magalí Mérida

World Sales

Kino Rebelde

Lisbon, Portugal

Photos

Agustina Comedi

© Gastón Paci

The filmmaker was born in 1986 in Córdoba, Argentina. She studied literature at the University of Córdoba and currently teaches at the Universidad Nacional de Tres de Febrero in Buenos Aires. Her debut feature film, El silencio es un cuerpo que cae, premiered at the International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam in 2017 and went on to win several awards and screen at more than 70 international festivals. Playback. Ensayo de una despedida was selected for Berlinale Shorts in 2020, won the Teddy Award and subsequently screened at 130 festivals around the world.

Filmography

2017 El silencio es un cuerpo que cae (Silence Is a Falling Body) 2019 Playback. Ensayo de una despedida (Playback); Short film 2024 Nunca fuimos un desierto (We Were No Desert); Short film

Bio- & filmography as of Berlinale 2026