Tenerife-based Bendita Film Sales has taken international sales rights to Nely Reguera’s sophomore outing, drama “La voluntaria” (“The Volunteer”), toplining “Broken Embraces,” “Perfect Life” and Piggy” star Carmen Machi, one of the biggest marquee draws in Spain.
World premiering in main competition at this year’s Malaga Festival, “La voluntaria” marks Reguera’s follow-up to her well-received feature 2016 debut, the Bárbara Lennie-starrer “María (And the Others),” which won the best Ibero-American film prize at the Miami Film Festival and earned new director and lead actress nominations at the Spanish Academy Goya Awards.
Barcelona-born Reguera forms part of the new generation of exciting young female Catalan auteurs, alongside Carla Simón (“Alcarràs”), Belén Funes (“The Daughter of the Thief”), Neus Ballús (“The Odd-Job Men”) and Meritxell Colell (“Facing the Wind”).
A Spain-Greece co-production, “La voluntaria” is produced by Adriá Monés at Fasten Films, Bteam Pictures’ Alex Lafuente and Maria Drandaki from Homemade Films.
World premiering in main competition at this year’s Malaga Festival, “La voluntaria” marks Reguera’s follow-up to her well-received feature 2016 debut, the Bárbara Lennie-starrer “María (And the Others),” which won the best Ibero-American film prize at the Miami Film Festival and earned new director and lead actress nominations at the Spanish Academy Goya Awards.
Barcelona-born Reguera forms part of the new generation of exciting young female Catalan auteurs, alongside Carla Simón (“Alcarràs”), Belén Funes (“The Daughter of the Thief”), Neus Ballús (“The Odd-Job Men”) and Meritxell Colell (“Facing the Wind”).
A Spain-Greece co-production, “La voluntaria” is produced by Adriá Monés at Fasten Films, Bteam Pictures’ Alex Lafuente and Maria Drandaki from Homemade Films.
- 3/15/2022
- by Emiliano De Pablos
- Variety Film + TV
Olmo Figueredo’s Seville-based La Claqueta, producer of Spain’s Oscar submission “The Endless Trench,” has boarded “The Turtles,” the second feature from Belén Funes, one of the leading lights of Barcelona’s fast-growing – and often women-led – newest wave of filmmakers.
Funes’ second feature, following on San Sebastian’s 2019 New Director winner “A Thief’s Daughter,” “The Turtles” has been selected for next week’s Berlinale Co-Production Market.
A lynchpin on Spain’s burgeoning regional co-production scene, having linked to top Basque production house Irusoin to produce Spain’s International Feature Film Oscar submission “The Endless Trench,” La Claqueta joins “The Turtles” lead producer, Barcelona-based Oberon Media, which backed “The Thief’s Daughter.” “The Turtles’” producer, Alba Bosch, forms part of the festival’s Berlinale Talents, a platform for young cineastes.
Funes also reunites on “The Turtles” with “Thief’s” co-writer Marçal Cebrian.
Taking its title from a Spanish word for...
Funes’ second feature, following on San Sebastian’s 2019 New Director winner “A Thief’s Daughter,” “The Turtles” has been selected for next week’s Berlinale Co-Production Market.
A lynchpin on Spain’s burgeoning regional co-production scene, having linked to top Basque production house Irusoin to produce Spain’s International Feature Film Oscar submission “The Endless Trench,” La Claqueta joins “The Turtles” lead producer, Barcelona-based Oberon Media, which backed “The Thief’s Daughter.” “The Turtles’” producer, Alba Bosch, forms part of the festival’s Berlinale Talents, a platform for young cineastes.
Funes also reunites on “The Turtles” with “Thief’s” co-writer Marçal Cebrian.
Taking its title from a Spanish word for...
- 2/22/2021
- by Emilio Mayorga
- Variety Film + TV
Catalan auteur Carla Simón, a 2017 Berlinale Generation Kplus winner with “Summer 1993,” is preparing her third feature, “Romería,” which has been selected among 17 new feature projects to be offered at Rotterdam Film Festival’s CineMart co-production market, to be held Feb. 1-5.
“Romería” (the Spanish name for a popular pilgrimage) will be produced by María Zamora at Avalon, the producer of Simón’s “Summer 1993” and “Alcarràs.” Based in Madrid and founded by Stefan Schmitz, production-distribution outfit Avalon includes Zamora and Enrique Costa as partners.
Having previously participated at the TorinoFilmLab Next program, “Romería” follows Frida, a teenager whose parents died when she was only a child. Adopted by her maternal uncle, the girl loses contact with her father’s side of the family. Wanting to understand the reasons behind the absence of half her family, and more specifically in order to learn about her own past, Frida decides to...
“Romería” (the Spanish name for a popular pilgrimage) will be produced by María Zamora at Avalon, the producer of Simón’s “Summer 1993” and “Alcarràs.” Based in Madrid and founded by Stefan Schmitz, production-distribution outfit Avalon includes Zamora and Enrique Costa as partners.
Having previously participated at the TorinoFilmLab Next program, “Romería” follows Frida, a teenager whose parents died when she was only a child. Adopted by her maternal uncle, the girl loses contact with her father’s side of the family. Wanting to understand the reasons behind the absence of half her family, and more specifically in order to learn about her own past, Frida decides to...
- 1/18/2021
- by Emilio Mayorga
- Variety Film + TV
Barcelona-based Filmax has snagged international rights to “The Burning Cold” (“El frio que quema”), the directorial feature debut of Catalan filmmaker Santi Trullenque, who has established a solid reputation in advertising and television.
Filmax will be presenting the first images and a promo to buyers during this week’s American Film Market.
“The Burning Cold” explores a little-known aspect of the World War II Jewish diaspora: the escape of Jews through Andorra, a micro sovereign country in the Pyrenees mountain range of the Iberian Peninsula.
Set in the winter of 1943 in Andorra, which shares borders with France and Spain, the drama centers on Antonio and Sara, a young married couple who are expecting their first child.
The relative peace in their small town is upended when a family of Jews fleeing Nazi persecution arrive to seek refuge. Sara, in particular, will have to face her own internal conflicts and decide...
Filmax will be presenting the first images and a promo to buyers during this week’s American Film Market.
“The Burning Cold” explores a little-known aspect of the World War II Jewish diaspora: the escape of Jews through Andorra, a micro sovereign country in the Pyrenees mountain range of the Iberian Peninsula.
Set in the winter of 1943 in Andorra, which shares borders with France and Spain, the drama centers on Antonio and Sara, a young married couple who are expecting their first child.
The relative peace in their small town is upended when a family of Jews fleeing Nazi persecution arrive to seek refuge. Sara, in particular, will have to face her own internal conflicts and decide...
- 11/10/2020
- by Anna Marie de la Fuente
- Variety Film + TV
For three decades Spanish filmmaker Juanma Bajo Ulloa has consistently delivered his own unique brand of cinema, playing with genres while exploring family dynamics like a kid with toys. Now, the award-winning filmmaker is back with fairytale thriller “Baby,” world premiering in competition at this year’s Sitges Film Festival. Latido Films, the film’s sales agent, has shared its trailer with Variety ahead of the Catalan event.
Billed as a dark fairytale, “Baby” is set in a modern town nestled deep in an eerie forest of gloomy trees and luminous lakes, teeming with wildlife. There, a tragic young woman simply referred to as Chica (girl), addicted to drugs, gives birth while suffering one of her too-common breakdowns, completely alone.
With no support, its everything the girl can do to keep the baby fed when she’s lucid enough to do so. Unable to care for herself, the only comfort...
Billed as a dark fairytale, “Baby” is set in a modern town nestled deep in an eerie forest of gloomy trees and luminous lakes, teeming with wildlife. There, a tragic young woman simply referred to as Chica (girl), addicted to drugs, gives birth while suffering one of her too-common breakdowns, completely alone.
With no support, its everything the girl can do to keep the baby fed when she’s lucid enough to do so. Unable to care for herself, the only comfort...
- 10/7/2020
- by Jamie Lang
- Variety Film + TV
Palme d’Or winning producer Luis Miñarro (“Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives”) is set to direct his fifth feature, ”Impalpable” (a working title), produced by Miñarro’s label, Barcelona-based Eddie Saeta, one of Spain’s most prominent arthouse shingles.
Written by Miñarro, “Impalpable” follows a series of characters who take a bus to an unspecified destination. The situation becomes gradually
stranger as the bus make no stops. Nor can the passengers descend.
“Impalpable”‘s cast will include Naomi Kawase, Geraldine Chaplin and Spain’s Lola Dueñas (“The Sea Inside”) and Francesc Orella (“Julia’s Eyes”), among others.
By chance, though with foresight, ”I first thought of this project before the pandemic. It’s a homage to Luis Buñuel’s ‘The Exterminating Angel,’” Miñarro told Variety. Over three days and two nights, its characters get to know one another, as the audience enters the minds of main characters, unleashing...
Written by Miñarro, “Impalpable” follows a series of characters who take a bus to an unspecified destination. The situation becomes gradually
stranger as the bus make no stops. Nor can the passengers descend.
“Impalpable”‘s cast will include Naomi Kawase, Geraldine Chaplin and Spain’s Lola Dueñas (“The Sea Inside”) and Francesc Orella (“Julia’s Eyes”), among others.
By chance, though with foresight, ”I first thought of this project before the pandemic. It’s a homage to Luis Buñuel’s ‘The Exterminating Angel,’” Miñarro told Variety. Over three days and two nights, its characters get to know one another, as the audience enters the minds of main characters, unleashing...
- 9/20/2020
- by Emilio Mayorga
- Variety Film + TV
One of the major figures at this year’s Venice Film Festival, Academy Award-nominated “Call Me By Your Name” director Luca Guadagnino will serve as president of the main competition official jury at Spain’s 68th San Sebastian Festival.
The announcement comes as Guadagnino world premieres two films at Venice: the doc feature “Salvatore: Shoemaker of Dreams,” about extraordinary Italian luxury shoe designer-entrepreneur Salvatore Ferragamo, and a more personal 122-minute short “Fiori, Fiori, Fiori,” in which Guadagnino looks up childhood friends to see how they’re faring during Covid-19.
At San Sebastian, Guadagnino will also be on double duty as he will also present out of the competition the world premiere of his series “We Are What We Are,” an HBO/Sky Italia production sold by Fremantle.
Acclaimed for his often glamorous movies directed with a high-style, and set in glorious locations and featuring marvelous houses – Guadagnino nevertheless maintains he has no style,...
The announcement comes as Guadagnino world premieres two films at Venice: the doc feature “Salvatore: Shoemaker of Dreams,” about extraordinary Italian luxury shoe designer-entrepreneur Salvatore Ferragamo, and a more personal 122-minute short “Fiori, Fiori, Fiori,” in which Guadagnino looks up childhood friends to see how they’re faring during Covid-19.
At San Sebastian, Guadagnino will also be on double duty as he will also present out of the competition the world premiere of his series “We Are What We Are,” an HBO/Sky Italia production sold by Fremantle.
Acclaimed for his often glamorous movies directed with a high-style, and set in glorious locations and featuring marvelous houses – Guadagnino nevertheless maintains he has no style,...
- 9/4/2020
- by John Hopewell
- Variety Film + TV
Pedro Almodóvar’s “Pain and Glory” swept the 7th Platino Xcaret Awards, winning best Ibero-American film, as well as the best director and screenplay for Almodovar. It also took home three other awards: Original music for Alberto Iglesias, editing for Teresa Font and best actor for Antonio Banderas, Oscar-nominated for his role in Almodóvar’s semi-autobiographical opus.
Relegated to an online announcement by the Covid-19 pandemic, Ibero-America’s most prestigious awards ceremony unveiled the winners on its YouTube channel on Monday, June 29 where Platinos ambassador and CNN Español journalist Juan Carlos Arciniegas teamed up with Mexican actor-comedian Omar Chaparro and Colombian actress-singer Majida Issa to read out the winners.
Enrique Cerezo, president of the Premios Xcaret, said: “We regret that we couldn’t be present on site because of a nightmare we hope to wake up from soon.”
It was a banner year for Spanish productions which went home with...
Relegated to an online announcement by the Covid-19 pandemic, Ibero-America’s most prestigious awards ceremony unveiled the winners on its YouTube channel on Monday, June 29 where Platinos ambassador and CNN Español journalist Juan Carlos Arciniegas teamed up with Mexican actor-comedian Omar Chaparro and Colombian actress-singer Majida Issa to read out the winners.
Enrique Cerezo, president of the Premios Xcaret, said: “We regret that we couldn’t be present on site because of a nightmare we hope to wake up from soon.”
It was a banner year for Spanish productions which went home with...
- 6/29/2020
- by Anna Marie de la Fuente
- Variety Film + TV
Madrid — Producer of Academy Award nominated “7.35 in the Morning” and “One Two Many” and then signature features by Nacho Vigalondo, Borja Cobeaga and Koldo Serra, Basque cinema driving force Sayaka Producciones has boarded Alauda Ruíz de Azúa’s “Five Little Wolves” as a producer.
Etb, the Basque Country’s public broadcaster, is also backing the project, pre-buying rights in March 2020.
Sayaka joins Madrid-based Encanta Films, producer of “The Wound,” a San Sebastian Special Jury Prize and best actress winner, on one of the most awaited of Spanish feature debuts, and also one of five projects selected from more than 200 submissions for the Ecam Madrid Film School’s second edition in 2019 of its Screen Incubator.
A leading Spanish development initiative, the Incubator is supported by Netflix, Movistar Plus, Tve and Atresmedia which all sent representatives to talk to the producers and directors.
“Five Little Wolves” also won the first prize for...
Etb, the Basque Country’s public broadcaster, is also backing the project, pre-buying rights in March 2020.
Sayaka joins Madrid-based Encanta Films, producer of “The Wound,” a San Sebastian Special Jury Prize and best actress winner, on one of the most awaited of Spanish feature debuts, and also one of five projects selected from more than 200 submissions for the Ecam Madrid Film School’s second edition in 2019 of its Screen Incubator.
A leading Spanish development initiative, the Incubator is supported by Netflix, Movistar Plus, Tve and Atresmedia which all sent representatives to talk to the producers and directors.
“Five Little Wolves” also won the first prize for...
- 4/23/2020
- by John Hopewell
- Variety Film + TV
Sales for the Argentinian box-office hit spice up a busy Efm for the Madrid-based sales outfit .
Madrid-based sales outfit Latido Films has scored several key territory deals on Argentinian box office hit The Heist Of The Century (El robo del siglo) after market screenings at this year’s Efm.
The based on a true story comedy about a botched bank robbery has gone to France (Eurozoom), Spain (Syldavia), Greece (Rosebud), Switzerland (Trigon) and Australia (Palace). There are also offers on the table from Russia, Italy and China.
Released in Argentina this January, The Heist Of The Century is directed by...
Madrid-based sales outfit Latido Films has scored several key territory deals on Argentinian box office hit The Heist Of The Century (El robo del siglo) after market screenings at this year’s Efm.
The based on a true story comedy about a botched bank robbery has gone to France (Eurozoom), Spain (Syldavia), Greece (Rosebud), Switzerland (Trigon) and Australia (Palace). There are also offers on the table from Russia, Italy and China.
Released in Argentina this January, The Heist Of The Century is directed by...
- 2/25/2020
- by 1101324¦Elisabet Cabeza¦0¦
- ScreenDaily
Pedro Almodóvar calls for “protection” of independent cinema in Spain.
Pedro Almodóvar’s Pain & Glory was the big winner at the Spanish Film Academy Awards in Málaga on Saturday night (25) with seven Goyas including best film, best director and best actor for Antonio Banderas.
With 17 and 16 nominations respectively, Alejandro Amenábar’s While At War and Almodóvar’s Pain & Glory started the night as the two favourites and the race looked close until almost the end, when Antonio Banderas went onstage to collect the Goya for best actor.
A moved Banderas – who had already seen his work recognised with...
Pedro Almodóvar’s Pain & Glory was the big winner at the Spanish Film Academy Awards in Málaga on Saturday night (25) with seven Goyas including best film, best director and best actor for Antonio Banderas.
With 17 and 16 nominations respectively, Alejandro Amenábar’s While At War and Almodóvar’s Pain & Glory started the night as the two favourites and the race looked close until almost the end, when Antonio Banderas went onstage to collect the Goya for best actor.
A moved Banderas – who had already seen his work recognised with...
- 1/26/2020
- by 1100969¦Elisabet Cabeza¦0¦
- ScreenDaily
Pedro Almodóvar calls for “protection” of independent cinema in Spain.
Pedro Almodóvar’s Pain & Glory was the big winner at the Spanish Film Academy Awards in Málaga on Saturday night (25) with seven Goyas including best film, best director and best actor for Antonio Banderas.
With 17 and 16 nominations respectively, Alejandro Amenábar’s While At War and Almodóvar’s Pain & Glory started the night as the two favourites and the race looked close until almost the end, when Antonio Banderas went onstage to collect the Goya for best actor.
A moved Banderas – who had already seen his work recognised with...
Pedro Almodóvar’s Pain & Glory was the big winner at the Spanish Film Academy Awards in Málaga on Saturday night (25) with seven Goyas including best film, best director and best actor for Antonio Banderas.
With 17 and 16 nominations respectively, Alejandro Amenábar’s While At War and Almodóvar’s Pain & Glory started the night as the two favourites and the race looked close until almost the end, when Antonio Banderas went onstage to collect the Goya for best actor.
A moved Banderas – who had already seen his work recognised with...
- 1/26/2020
- by 1100969¦Elisabet Cabeza¦0¦
- ScreenDaily
Pedro Almodovar’s Pain and Glory, a double Oscar nominee for star Antonio Banderas and the film itself in the Best International Feature race, swept the top categories Saturday at Spain’s Goya Awards. Scroll down for the full list.
Banderas, up for Best Actor at the Oscars, won best actor award at the Spanish film academy’s annual ceremony, held this year in Malaga. Almodovar won best director and for best screenplay, and the film took a total of seven awards from 16 nominations. One of those misses was Penelope Cruz, who lost in the best actress category to Belen Cuesta of The Endless Trench.
Alejandro Amenabar’s While at War, the Spanish Civil War drama that came in with a leading 17 nominations, won five awards including Eduard Fernandez for supporting actor.
Pain and Glory played in competition this year at the Cannes Film Festival, where Banderas won the Best...
Banderas, up for Best Actor at the Oscars, won best actor award at the Spanish film academy’s annual ceremony, held this year in Malaga. Almodovar won best director and for best screenplay, and the film took a total of seven awards from 16 nominations. One of those misses was Penelope Cruz, who lost in the best actress category to Belen Cuesta of The Endless Trench.
Alejandro Amenabar’s While at War, the Spanish Civil War drama that came in with a leading 17 nominations, won five awards including Eduard Fernandez for supporting actor.
Pain and Glory played in competition this year at the Cannes Film Festival, where Banderas won the Best...
- 1/26/2020
- by Patrick Hipes
- Deadline Film + TV
Madrid — Pedro Almodóvar’s “Pain and Glory” took home Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor (Antonio Banderas) and Best Original Screenplay at the 34th Spanish Academy Goya Awards, as well as Best Editing, Original Music and Supporting Actress (Julieta Serrano).
Almodóvar’s night did have one blemish, however. On the red carpet ahead of the ceremony he accidentally let slip that actress Penelope Cruz will be handing out this year’s Academy Award for Best International Feature Film at the Oscars, as she and Banderas did last time Almodóvar won, with 2000’s “All About my Mother.”
Saturday night’s ceremony ran like a marathon, with Almodóvar and Alejandro Amenábar’s “While at War” exchanging the lead back and forth over the 3.5 hour ceremony before “Pain and Glory” took the ceremony’s final three prizes, ending with seven awards while Amenábar’s Spanish Civil War epic notched five.
In his first on-stage appearance of the night,...
Almodóvar’s night did have one blemish, however. On the red carpet ahead of the ceremony he accidentally let slip that actress Penelope Cruz will be handing out this year’s Academy Award for Best International Feature Film at the Oscars, as she and Banderas did last time Almodóvar won, with 2000’s “All About my Mother.”
Saturday night’s ceremony ran like a marathon, with Almodóvar and Alejandro Amenábar’s “While at War” exchanging the lead back and forth over the 3.5 hour ceremony before “Pain and Glory” took the ceremony’s final three prizes, ending with seven awards while Amenábar’s Spanish Civil War epic notched five.
In his first on-stage appearance of the night,...
- 1/26/2020
- by Jamie Lang and Emilio Mayorga
- Variety Film + TV
The actress is toplining this road movie together with Arturo Dueñas, who is also directing; the film was shot in Spain and Cuba, and is in the middle of post-production. Actress Greta Fernández is on a hot streak in Spain: after performing next to her father – Eduard Fernández – in A Thief’s Daughter, she scooped the Best Actress Award for said movie at the most recent San Sebastián Film Festival and has not ceased to garner praise since then. In addition, she has emerged as one of the bookies’ favourites for the awards season that kicks off this Saturday 11 January with the presentation of the Forqué Awards in Madrid, where, naturally, she is a hopeful for the gong in the Best Actress category. But meanwhile, the Catalan thesp has had time to partake – albeit briefly – in the series Foodie Love by her friend Isabel Coixet and...
Other nominees include ‘Intemperie’, ’The Endless Trench’ and ’Fire Will Come’.
Alejandro Amenábar’s While At War leads the nominations for Spain’s 34th Goya Academy Awards but will face-off against Pedro Almodóvar’s Pain And Glory at the ceremony on January 25 in Malaga.
Scroll down for full list of nominations
Amenábar’s Spanish Civil War drama has secured 17 nominations while Almodóvar’s semi-autobiographical film has 16 nods.
While At War has proved a box office hit following its debut at Toronto, ranking as Spain’s third highest-grossing domestic film of 2019 and taking more than $11.3m to date.
Pain and Glory...
Alejandro Amenábar’s While At War leads the nominations for Spain’s 34th Goya Academy Awards but will face-off against Pedro Almodóvar’s Pain And Glory at the ceremony on January 25 in Malaga.
Scroll down for full list of nominations
Amenábar’s Spanish Civil War drama has secured 17 nominations while Almodóvar’s semi-autobiographical film has 16 nods.
While At War has proved a box office hit following its debut at Toronto, ranking as Spain’s third highest-grossing domestic film of 2019 and taking more than $11.3m to date.
Pain and Glory...
- 12/2/2019
- by 1101324¦Elisabet Cabeza¦0¦
- ScreenDaily
Pedro Almodóvar’s “Pain and Glory” will go head-to-head with two other big Spanish films – Alejandro Amenábar’s “While at War” and “The Endless Trench,” from Aitor Aguirre, Jon Garaño and José Mari Goenaga – at Spain’s 34th Goya Academy Awards, to be held Jan. 25 in Malaga.
“Pain and Glory” garnered 16 nominations,” “While at War” 17 and “The Endless Trench” 15.
Though most pundits would put “Pain and Glory” as the frontrunner, the outcome is difficult to predict. World-premiering in Spain before competing in Cannes, where Antonio Banderas won the best actor prize, “Pain and Glory” was reckoned by Spanish critics to be Almodóvar’s best film in a decade.
But ever since the screenplay for Luis Buñuel’s “Viridiana,” which went on to win the Palme d’Or, was written off in Spain as nonsense, the Spanish industry has steadfastly refused to kowtow to internationally acclaimed directors or indeed talent.
Screening at Ventana Sur,...
“Pain and Glory” garnered 16 nominations,” “While at War” 17 and “The Endless Trench” 15.
Though most pundits would put “Pain and Glory” as the frontrunner, the outcome is difficult to predict. World-premiering in Spain before competing in Cannes, where Antonio Banderas won the best actor prize, “Pain and Glory” was reckoned by Spanish critics to be Almodóvar’s best film in a decade.
But ever since the screenplay for Luis Buñuel’s “Viridiana,” which went on to win the Palme d’Or, was written off in Spain as nonsense, the Spanish industry has steadfastly refused to kowtow to internationally acclaimed directors or indeed talent.
Screening at Ventana Sur,...
- 12/2/2019
- by Jamie Lang and John Hopewell
- Variety Film + TV
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