Director Daniel Burman s gently funny and moving film focuses on a small group of Buenos Aires residents as Argentina faces economic turmoil. Ariel (Daniel Hendler), a young Jewish man, has just lost his mother. He wants to break away from the predictable path his life is taking. Spurred on by his meddling boss (Imanol Arias), Ariel finds himself drawn to a sexy co-worker, Laura (Chiara Caselli), who tells him she s gay. Ariel s longtime girlfriend, Estela (Melina Petriella) starts working at the restaurant owned by Ariel s father, Simon (Hector Alterio), setting up a karaoke machine and a miniature Western wall where customers can make wishes. Meanwhile, Santamaria (Enrique Pineyro) loses his job at the bank and his home, and starts earning a living by digging through the trash for lost and stolen wallets, and returning them for a reward. He finds himself attracted to Elsa (Stefania Sandrelli of THE CONFORMIST), a lonely washroom attendant whose husband is in prison. Burman s affection for these characters is palpable, whether he s showing a Hanukkah celebration in El Once, the city s Jewish neighborhood, or a tender lesbian love scene. WAITING FOR THE MESSIAH captures the intimate details of these lives with compassion, humor, and hope.