Mr. Kaplan


Mr. Kaplan is a 2014 Uruguayan comedy-drama film directed by Álvaro Brechner. It was selected as the Uruguayan entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 87th Academy Awards, but was not nominated.

Plot

Jacob Kaplan lives an ordinary life in Uruguay. Like many of his Jewish friends, Jacob fled Europe for South America because of World War II. Now turning 76, he is grumpy and in need of adventure. An unexpected opportunity to achieve greatness comes in the form of a quiet, elderly German, whom Mr. Kaplan believes to be a runaway Nazi. Determined to capture this Nazi, as Adolf Eichmann was captured before him, Mr. Kaplan enlists the help of Contreras, a portly ex-policeman, and together they embark on their mission.

Cast

Production

Director Álvaro Brechner developed the project at TorinoFilmLab, where it received support and mentorship. The film is a co-production between Uruguay, Germany, and Spain.

Release

Mr. Kaplan had its international premiere at the BFI London Film Festival in October 2014. The film was released theatrically in Uruguay, where it became both an audience and critical success. It was selected as Uruguay's entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 87th Academy Awards.

Music

The original score for Mr. Kaplan was composed by Spanish composer Mikel Salas. The soundtrack combines original compositions with previously recorded songs that reflect the film’s ironic and melancholic tone.
The soundtrack includes a version of the song SS in Uruguay, originally performed by Serge Gainsbourg.

Reception

Critical response

The film received positive reviews from critics. Sounds and Colours praised the performances, particularly noting that Héctor Noguera was "sensational as the film's lead." The review highlighted the film's warm humor and described it as "a delightful take on our desire to feel a purpose in our lives."
The Hollywood Reporter called it "probably the best Uruguayan film of all time." Trigon Film described Brechner's approach as demonstrating "a remarkable lightness in addressing the themes of aging and forgetting."
Mr. Kaplan attracted attention from international cultural media. In an interview with Variety, director Álvaro Brechner described the film as a reflection on dignity, memory, and aging, emphasizing its restrained and humanistic tone.
The film was also featured by Remezcla, which highlighted its use of humor and irony to address themes related to Jewish identity, historical memory, and the passage of time, situating the film within the Latin American comedy-drama tradition.

Accolades

Mr. Kaplan received seven nominations at the Platino Awards in 2015, including Best Film, Best Director, Best Screenplay, Best Cinematography, Best Art Direction, Best Editing, and Best Sound. The film was also nominated for Best Ibero-American Film at the Goya Awards and the Ariel Awards in Mexico.
PremioAñoCategoríaNominadoResultado
Ariel Awards, Mexico2015Silver Ariel – Best Latin-American FilmÁlvaro Brechner
Biarritz International Festival2014Best ActorHéctor NogueraWon
Biarritz International Festival2014Best ActorNéstor GuzziniWon
Chicago International Film Festival2014Audience Choice AwardÁlvaro Brechner
Goya Awards2015Best Iberoamerican Film Uruguay/España
Havana Film Festival2014Grand Prize CoralÁlvaro Brechner
Mar del Plata International Film Festival2014Roberto Tato Miller Award – Best Latin American Feature FilmÁlvaro Brechner Won
Mar del Plata International Film Festival2014Best Latin-American Film – Latin-American CompetitionÁlvaro Brechner
Palm Springs International Film Festival2015Cine Latino AwardÁlvaro Brechner
Huelva Latin American Film Festival2014Silver Colon – Best ScreenplayÁlvaro BrechnerWon
Huelva Latin American Film Festival2014Silver Colon – Best Screenplay Álvaro BrechnerWon
Uruguayan Film Critics Association2014UFCA Award – Best Uruguayan FilmÁlvaro Brechner ; Mariana Secco ; Roman Paul ; Gerhard Meixner Won
Uruguayan Film Critics Association2014UFCA Award – Best Latin American FilmÁlvaro Brechner ; Mariana Secco ; Roman Paul ; Gerhard Meixner
Uruguayan Film Critics Association2014UFCA Award – Best ActorHéctor Noguera; Néstor Guzzini
Uruguayan Film Critics Association2014UFCA Award – Best Art DirectionGustavo RamírezWon
Uruguayan Film Critics Association2014UFCA Award – Best DirectorÁlvaro BrechnerWon
Monte-Carlo Comedy Film Festival2015Jury Prize – Best ActorHéctor Noguera; Néstor GuzziniWon
International Film Festival of India2014Golden Peacock – Best FilmÁlvaro Brechner
Platino Awards2015Platino Award – Best FilmUruguay
Platino Awards2015Platino Award – Best DirectorÁlvaro Brechner; Fabián Oliver
Platino Awards2015Platino Award – Best SoundFabián Oliver; Nacho Royo-Villanova
Platino Awards2015Platino Award – Best CinematographyÁlvaro Gutiérrez
Platino Awards2015Platino Award – Best ScreenplayÁlvaro Brechner
José María Forqué Awards2015Best Latin American PictureÁlvaro Brechner
Platino Awards2015Premio Platino – Best FilmÁlvaro Brechner
Havana Film Festival New York2015Havana Star – Best ActorHéctor Noguera; Néstor GuzziniWon