RIP Hugo Arana

 

Hugo Arana died: the video call mini-fiction that starred in quarantine

TV6 News

By Timothy Bussell

October 11, 2020

 

 In “Do not forget about me”, from the cycle “Viral stories”, the actor put himself in the shoes of a man who was admitted to a nursing home.

Hugo Arana He passed away this Sunday at the age of 77. In May, during the quarantine for the coronavirus, the actor had joined the cycle Viral stories, in which he starred Do not forget me, a short production for the web made through video calls.

The fictions recorded with cell phones, from the houses of the actors, became a comfort in quarantine. Many production companies, and even several independent actors, opted for this form of communication while audiovisual productions and projects remain frozen.

Thus, Arana went viral for an emotional “mini-fiction” launched on YouTube, which emphasizes people who spend their last days in a nursing home, and whose only contact with their families is by video call.

The artist He excelled in a father’s role alongside actress Moro Anghileri.

“Geriatric Dad, calling”. That is the first image, that of a telephone. That trigger starts this chapter. We immediately understand that it is about an older man (Raúl) who no longer recognizes his daughter. “I came to visit you here. We are going to be able to see each other, there is little left,” she explains.

Confusions, incoherent questions, Alzheimer’s as the axis. “Do I have children?” Raúl asks the nurse who assists him.

“This morning we only had three or four for breakfast. I think most of them flew,” the man tells his daughter Victoria. She tries to tell him the context and tells him about protocols and viruses.

A game with the Virus band, a song for its 80 years, a cake and candles to share wishes … There is no way not to cry with this virtual tale.

This first shipment of the unit had more than ten thousand views on YouTube and continues to rotate from phone to phone, recommended as content that makes us reflect on distance, closeness, love and the new way of life imposed by the coronavirus.

“The objective of Viral stories is to entertain the viewer, but at the same time generate awareness. We want the series to spread a hopeful message through the networks, to help each other “, explained the directors, Juan Baranchuk and Federico Frégola.

Before this work, Arana came from starring in a play in Carlos Paz during the summer season.

Had put the body to Broken in love, a comedy about four men who are in love. The cast was made up of Osvaldo Laport, Soriano pepper and Víctor Laplace. The pandemic closed theaters, stopped filming and TV projects, so hundreds of artists hope to re-enter the workplace.

In October of last year, Arana had admitted: “I had to sell the car and get the SUBE card because of the crisis.” Retired, with some health problems, he admitted that he charged 11 thousand pesos.

“I live from day to day. I had almost ten years very complicated with operations. It is very difficult. I finished a work that we did on tour, we went to the provinces and it was to jump from 300 tickets to 68. I am not complaining, I do the task that master. But it is not easy, “he lamented.

 

ARANA, Hugo (Ricardo Hugo Arana)

Born: 7/3/1943, Buenos Aires, Argentina

Died: 10/11/2020, Buenos Aires, Argentina

Hugo Arana’s western – actor:

The Return of Martin Fiero - 1974