ARGENTINA: Argentina mourns the death of one of the country's most famous filmmakers and singer-songwriters, Leonardo Favio

Record ID: 447156

  • Title: ARGENTINA: Argentina mourns the death of one of the country's most famous filmmakers and singer-songwriters, Leonardo Favio
  • Date: 6th November 2012
  • Summary: VARIOUS OF PEOPLE ENTERING THE CONGRESS BUILDING
  • Embargoed: 21st November 2012 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Argentina
  • Country: Argentina
  • Topics: Obituaries
  • Reuters ID: LVA6DOD1BUL7H6SOIYJ4HZQBG52W
  • Story Text: Leonardo Favio, one of Argentina's most admired filmmakers, died Monday (November 05), after struggling with illness for years.
    Mourners lined up in Buenos Aires to say their last goodbyes to the filmmaker, who was also a celebrated singer-songwriter.
    His body was taken to Argentina's congress building to allow mourners, many carrying floral offering, to pay their last respects to the iconic figure.

    "His personality transcends Argentine culture and he is fundamental as a figure. I always admired him and just wanted to be by his side," one mourner, said Buenos Aires resident Daniel Eduardo Cisneros.
    Favio was born on May 28, 1938 in Lujan de Cuyo, Mendoza as Fuad Jorge Jury.
    As a singer Favio had a string of hits in the 60s and 70s including, "She already forgot me", "You were mine one summer" and "To know what loneliness is."
    His music was noted for its poetic lyrics and he mostly wrote and sang romantic ballads.

    "Art and love never die. And he dedicated his life to art and no one sang about love like he did. It is really sad," a mourning fan, Andrea Campos, said.
    He released 25 albums, the last, a collection of his greatest hits, in 2011, but he was mostly recognized for his filmmaking.
    Favio's directorial debut came in 1964 with the semi-autobiographical "Chronicle of a Boy Alone."
    His biggest film was "Nazareno Cruz and the Wolf" (1975) - a box office hit that brought around 3.5 million people to the cinema, then a record for a domestic film in Argentina.
    A staunch Peronist, Favio released a documentary on the former Argentine leader, Juan Peron, in 1996.
    He was also named Argentina's Culture Ambassador by President Cristina Fernandez two years ago.
    Fernandez attended the wake in Buenos Aires on Monday night and said a prayer over his coffin.
    Favio's was 74-years-old. He will be buried on Tuesday.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2012. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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