Like the equally impressive Rojo (2018), Andreas Fontana’s Azor captures life in a police state through the prism of a charged and intelligent political thriller.
Argentina in 1980 is a country caught in the grip of a military junta. But the wealthy elite seem free of its control provided they play by the rules. Swiss Private banker Yvan De Wiel (Fabrizio Rongione) arrives in Buenos Aires from Geneva, accompanied by his deceptively charming wife Ines (Stéphanie Cléau). He is there to replace René Keys, his colleague, who has disappeared. His role is to reassure investors that their money and the privilege that it allows, is safe. At the same time, Yvan is curious about Keys’ whereabouts. And the deeper he looks, the more dangerous his own position becomes in a society where civility is little more than a brittle veneer.
Fontana grew up within a banking environment and his knowledge of the intricacies of this world not only makes for a terrifyingly plausible thriller, but adds nuance to each of the characters. Eschewing lazy stereotypes, Azor paints a fascinating portrait of a rich elite – a class seemingly united by their wealth but different in their personal ambitions. And in a world where trust comes at too great a cost, Yvan increasingly finds himself along in this ruthless world.
