Background
Aida Beatriz Bortnik was born on January 7, 1938, in Buenos Aires, Argentina. She was the daughter of Aron and Celia (Federovsky) Bortnik, who emigrated from Ukraine.
playwright screenwriter writer
Aida Beatriz Bortnik was born on January 7, 1938, in Buenos Aires, Argentina. She was the daughter of Aron and Celia (Federovsky) Bortnik, who emigrated from Ukraine.
Bortnik attended the University of Buenos Aires from 1956 to 1958 and from 1961 to 1964. She also attended schools of theatre and film.
Bortnik started her career as a TV-screenwriter in 1971. She co-wrote with débutant director Sergio Renán the screenplay for The Truce (1974), based on the eponymous novel by Mario Benedetti. That year, Bortnik also co-wrote Una mujer, directed by Juan José Stagnaro. After a three-year break, Bortnik worked one more time with Renán in writing a screenplay in 1977 for Haroldo Conti's novel, Crecer de golpe. She then co-wrote La isla (1979) with director Alejandro Doria.
In 1985, Bortnik co-wrote with writer-director Luis Puenzo a screenplay for a film about the Argentine Dirty War, which had recently ceased. That same year, she co-wrote Pobre mariposa with director Raúl de la Torre. In 1989, Bortnik helped Puenzo write the screenplay for Carlos Fuentes' novel Old Gringo, a United States production; the only non-Argentine project in which Bortnik was involved.
During the 90s, Bortnik worked strictly with newcomer writer/director Marcelo Piñeyro, who had served as executive producer to La historia oficial. Bortnik helped Piñeyro write the screenplays for Tango feroz: la leyenda de Tanguito (1993), Caballos salvajes (1995) and Cenizas del Paraíso (1997), a loose trilogy. She renewed her working relationship with Sergio Renán, co-writing La soledad era esto (2002).
Bortnik's last job was as an occasional writer for the series Vientos de agua in 2006.
Bortnik was a member of the General Association of Authors of Argentina.