Set against the backdrop of 1960's Argentina, Valentin is an autobiographical tale of how a nine-year-old boy comes to discover that to get what he wants in life, he cannot depend on anyone other than himself, no matter who they are.

His mother, who has left to start a new life with her latest lover, has placed Valentin into the care of his grandmother, giving him no reason why. Equally estranged from his father, who only uses him to impress his latest girlfriend, Valentin escapes from this reality through fantasises of being an astronaut.

Despite his desires to escape from a life he hasn't asked for, Valentin still basks in attention when offered. His need to understand his parents' behaviour results in him befriending an ex-girlfriend of his father's, whom soon takes a maternal role towards the boy.

The autobiographical film has always been a shrewd way to tug at the heartstrings of audiences through sentimentality. Valentin is filled with a genuine emotion, yet avoids common manipulative sentimentality.