Argentine cinema is making a strong return on Netflix, leveraging its greatest strengths: original plots, a blend of comedy and drama, and above all, realistic stories with well-drawn characters. “27 Nights” promises a subtle mix of all these elements, along with a few surprises.
The film begins with an unsettling premise: an eccentric, wealthy 83-year-old patron of the arts is committed to a psychiatric clinic by her own daughters. This is the disturbing starting point for “27 Nights,” a new Argentine film production that, beneath the surface of a family drama, raises profound questions about autonomy, old age, and the limits of sanity.
The central figure, Martha Hoffman, played by the acclaimed actress Marilú Marini, is an immediate enigma. Is she a vulnerable matriarch whose mind is succumbing to dementia, a victim of a coldly calculated plan to seize control of her fortune, or something else entirely unexpected?
To unravel this complex situation, judicial expert Leandro Casares enters the scene, tasked with investigating and determining the truth behind Martha’s confinement. Through his eyes, the viewer enters a labyrinth of emotions, interests, and family secrets.
However, the investigation soon reveals that the answers are not simple. The narrative resists a binary conclusion, introducing a third, more radical possibility: that the hospitalization is neither a medical tragedy nor a conspiracy, but a deliberate choice by Martha herself to live her final years in absolute freedom, far from social conventions and expectations.
Thus, “27 Nights” transcends the psychological thriller genre to become a sophisticated exploration of self-determination in the final chapter of life, questioning who has the right to define another person’s normality and happiness.
Inspired by a True Story
The story of “27 Nights” is rooted in a sensational true story from Argentine high society, an event that was first transformed into literature and now comes to the screen. The film is based on the acclaimed novel “Twenty-seven Nights” by writer and psychoanalyst Natalia Zito, who was inspired by the story of Natalia Kohen, an artist and patron who was institutionalized by her daughters in 2005 at the age of 88.
The reasons alleged at the time included supposedly squandering the family fortune, maintaining an active sex life, and leading a lifestyle considered “inappropriate” for her age, all supported by a diagnosis of dementia. Zito’s book, and by extension the film, delves into the complexities of this conflict, exploring the boundaries of mental health, the vulnerability that comes with old age, and the power dynamics within an elite family. The author has expressed her hope that the story will serve as an “instrument for thinking about complex issues” and is confident the film will generate a similar debate. By fictionalizing this starting point, “27 Nights” uses an intimate drama to ask universal questions about individual freedom versus family and social expectations.
A Screenplay by Many Hands
The process of bringing this story to the screen was notably collaborative. The foundation was Natalia Zito’s novel, which provided the narrative structure and psychological depth of the characters. However, the adaptation was not a direct translation. A crucial intermediate step was an initial version of the script by Mariano Llinás, one of the most influential figures in contemporary Argentine cinema. Building on this foundation, the final screenplay was crafted by a team of three: the director Daniel Hendler himself, along with screenwriters Martín Mauregui and Agustina Liendo. This multi-stage development method, filtering the story through several key artistic sensibilities, results in a screenplay that is much more than a simple adaptation: it is a creative palimpsest enriched by the contributions of different voices.
Hendler’s Vision and the La Unión de los Ríos Seal of Quality
At the helm of this complex project is Daniel Hendler, who takes on a triple role as its director, co-writer, and one of its main stars. Hendler immerses himself in the story by playing Leandro Casares, the judicial expert whose perspective becomes the primary vehicle for the audience to navigate the mystery. Hendler has articulated his interest in the film’s central dynamic, describing it as an exploration of the “conjunction, or dissonance” between the worlds of Casares and Martha. In his words, his fascination lies in “the things that don’t quite fit, and how they relate and connect,” noting that the two characters are “like two opposite poles.”
The driving force behind the project is the production company La Unión de los Ríos, led by producers Santiago Mitre and Agustina Llambi Campbell. Mitre and Llambi Campbell are names associated with some of the most internationally acclaimed Argentine films in recent years, including the Oscar-nominated “Argentina, 1985.” Their involvement brings a stamp of prestige and artistic rigor to the project. Significantly, “27 Nights” marks the first production by La Unión de los Ríos for Netflix, an alliance that represents a strategic convergence between Argentine auteur cinema and the massive distribution power of a streaming giant.
The Cast and Crew
The weight and ambition of “27 Nights” are reflected in the caliber of the assembled team. The project is anchored by a central performance from Marilú Marini as Martha Hoffman, a role that demands an immense ability to navigate between fragility, eccentricity, and a possibly defiant lucidity. Alongside her and Daniel Hendler, the film features a top-tier supporting cast including prominent figures from the Argentine scene like Humberto Tortonese, Julieta Zylberberg, Paula Grinszpan, and Carla Peterson, forming a solid ensemble cast. This level of excellence extends to the technical crew, with Julián Apezteguía as director of photography, Pedro Osuna in charge of the musical score, and Nicolás Goldbart as editor, creating a first-rate team to bring the film’s complex atmosphere to life.
A Seal of Approval from San Sebastián
Before its arrival on screens worldwide, “27 Nights” followed a carefully designed trajectory to solidify its artistic prestige. The film had its world premiere on a top-tier stage: the 73rd San Sebastián International Film Festival, one of the most important events in the global film circuit. The film was not only selected to participate but was also given the honor of being the opening film of the festival’s Official Competition. This is a position of enormous visibility and distinction, placing the film in contention for the festival’s highest honor, the Golden Shell. This launch strategy at a class-A festival acts as a powerful validation mechanism, positioning “27 Nights” as a serious and relevant cinematic work ahead of its massive streaming distribution.
Release Details
“27 Nights” presents itself as a significant cinematic event, a work that intertwines a family mystery with universal questions about life, death, and the right to self-determination. Through the enigma of Martha Hoffman, the film explores the ambiguous nature of truth, the complex power dynamics within blood ties, and above all, the brave and sometimes misunderstood search for personal freedom in old age.
Following its acclaimed run at the San Sebastián International Film Festival, where it opened the Official Competition on September 19, 2025, and after a limited release in select Argentine theaters starting October 9, 2025, “27 Nights” will have its global premiere on Netflix. The film will be available worldwide on Netflix starting October 17, 2025.
