Filmmaker Mario Sabato passes away at 78
The film industry lost a talented director as Mario Sabato, son of writer Ernesto Sabato, passed away at the age of 78 in Buenos Aires on Saturday. His family released a brief statement informing of his demise. Sabato was known for directing films ranging from commercial to experimental, biographical and documentary. Some of his notable films include The Cursed Treasure (1978), Los Parchís against the Invisible Inventor (1981), Y que patatín, y que patatán (1971), Los coupes bajos (1974), and Al corazón (1996).
Sabato’s passion for filmmaking
Mario Sabato’s passion for filmmaking developed when he worked as a cameraman for Sucesos Argentinos. He directed his first short film, El nacimiento de un libro, in 1964 and went on to direct several other short films. Sabato’s entire film career developed after his 1971 film, Y que patatín, y que patatán.
He also visited his father’s work and directed The Power of Darkness in 1979, which was an adaptation of “Report on the Blind” from the novel On Heroes and Tombs. In 2009, he presented Ernesto Sabato, my father, a documentary dedicated to the writer’s life and work.
After a short stint as a television director, Sabato returned with his most personal film, India Pravile, in 2003. It is a tribute to national cinematography of the past, family love, death, and the inevitability of the passage of time.
Protector of Ernesto Sabato’s legacy
Mario Sabato became the protector of his father’s work after his death in 2011. He took on the responsibility of turning the property Ernesto Sabato inhabited in Santos Lugares into a house-museum open to the general public. With the help of his family, they restored the furniture, walls, and the spirit of the house. He felt that preserving his father’s legacy was an obligation and something that needed to be shared with the world.
Mario Sabato was a gifted filmmaker who left behind an impressive body of work. He was a passionate and dedicated protector of his father’s legacy. His contribution to the film industry will always be remembered.
