The Spirit of the Beehive director’s first feature in 30 years uses a film-within-a-film structure to ruminate on memory, ageing and cinema itself
82-year-old Spanish director Víctor Erice had previously released a total of three feature films: his classic The Spirit of the Beehive in 1973, The South in 1983 and The Quince Tree Sun in 1992. Now here is Close Your Eyes, co-written by Erice and Michel Gaztambide, whose title could be taken to indicate a farewell. We can only hope not. It is a mysterious, digressive, long and baggily constructed film possessed of a distinctive richness and humanity, all about the balance between memory and forgetting which we all negotiate as we come to the end of our lives. And it is also about cinema, which helps to promote memory and retrieve that which has vanished, even as it is itself in danger of being forgotten. Close Your Eyes could even...
82-year-old Spanish director Víctor Erice had previously released a total of three feature films: his classic The Spirit of the Beehive in 1973, The South in 1983 and The Quince Tree Sun in 1992. Now here is Close Your Eyes, co-written by Erice and Michel Gaztambide, whose title could be taken to indicate a farewell. We can only hope not. It is a mysterious, digressive, long and baggily constructed film possessed of a distinctive richness and humanity, all about the balance between memory and forgetting which we all negotiate as we come to the end of our lives. And it is also about cinema, which helps to promote memory and retrieve that which has vanished, even as it is itself in danger of being forgotten. Close Your Eyes could even...
- 5/25/2023
- by Peter Bradshaw
- The Guardian - Film News
Martin Scorsese is executive producing “Escape,” the next film from Spanish writer-director Rodrigo Cortés, who burst onto the international scene directing Ryan Reynolds in the 2010 Sundance hit “Buried.”
Set to go into production at the end of May, Cortés’ first Spanish-language film since his debut feature, 2007 madcap dark comedy “The Contestant,” “Escape” stars Mario Casas, a Spanish Academy Award Goya winner for 2020’s “Cross the Line.”
One of Spain’s biggest film-tv stars, Casas leads a top-notch Spanish cast in “Escape” which takes in Anna Castillo, José Garcia (“Bastille Day”), Guillermo Toledo (“I’m So Excited”), Josep Maria Pou (“The Realm”), Blanca Portillo (“Maixabel”), and Jose Sacristán (“Velvet”).
Produced by Adrián Guerra and Núria Valls at Barcelona-based Nostromo Pictures, “Escape” is a free adaptation of the same-title novel penned by Spanish author Enrique Rubio.
“Escape” turns on N., a young man who wants to live in prison and will do whatever...
Set to go into production at the end of May, Cortés’ first Spanish-language film since his debut feature, 2007 madcap dark comedy “The Contestant,” “Escape” stars Mario Casas, a Spanish Academy Award Goya winner for 2020’s “Cross the Line.”
One of Spain’s biggest film-tv stars, Casas leads a top-notch Spanish cast in “Escape” which takes in Anna Castillo, José Garcia (“Bastille Day”), Guillermo Toledo (“I’m So Excited”), Josep Maria Pou (“The Realm”), Blanca Portillo (“Maixabel”), and Jose Sacristán (“Velvet”).
Produced by Adrián Guerra and Núria Valls at Barcelona-based Nostromo Pictures, “Escape” is a free adaptation of the same-title novel penned by Spanish author Enrique Rubio.
“Escape” turns on N., a young man who wants to live in prison and will do whatever...
- 5/24/2023
- by John Hopewell
- Variety Film + TV
Cerrar los ojos
After a three-decade-long absence from filmmaking, Victor Erice returns to cinema with what is only his fourth feature. Cerrar los ojos reunites him with the star of his last film (El sol del membrillo): Ana Torrent. Production took place in Granada, Almería, Asturias and Madrid up until December. José Coronado, María León, Petra Martínez, Soledad Villamil, Mario Pardo, Elena Miquel and José María Pou also star in the film. The story of a disappearance, the film revolves “around issues such as identity and memory.”
Gist: This tells the story of how a famous Spanish actor, (José Coronado) disappears during the shoot for a movie.…...
After a three-decade-long absence from filmmaking, Victor Erice returns to cinema with what is only his fourth feature. Cerrar los ojos reunites him with the star of his last film (El sol del membrillo): Ana Torrent. Production took place in Granada, Almería, Asturias and Madrid up until December. José Coronado, María León, Petra Martínez, Soledad Villamil, Mario Pardo, Elena Miquel and José María Pou also star in the film. The story of a disappearance, the film revolves “around issues such as identity and memory.”
Gist: This tells the story of how a famous Spanish actor, (José Coronado) disappears during the shoot for a movie.…...
- 1/11/2023
- by Eric Lavallée
- IONCINEMA.com
Film Factory Entertainment has picked up international sales rights to Victor Erice’s highly anticipated “Cerrar los ojos,” which marks the fourth feature by the legendary Spanish filmmaker, writer-director of “The Spirit of the Beehive,” reuniting him with Ana Torrent, the wide-eyed very young star of that milestone film.
Now wrapping its shoot in Granada, Almería and Asturias before moving to Madrid, “Cerrar los Ojos” is set for 2023 Spanish theatrical release by “Alcarràs” distributor Avalon.
Erice’s fourth feature, following on 30 years after Cannes Festival Jury Prize winner “El sol del membrillo” (“Dream of Light”), “Cerrar los ojos” is written by Erice and Michel Gaztambide, a Spanish Academy best screenplay Goya Award winner for “No Rest for the Wicked.” The story of a disappearance, the film revolves “around issues such as identity and memory,” its producers announced Monday.
Producer Cristina Zumárraga lead produces the production through Tandem Films, the company...
Now wrapping its shoot in Granada, Almería and Asturias before moving to Madrid, “Cerrar los Ojos” is set for 2023 Spanish theatrical release by “Alcarràs” distributor Avalon.
Erice’s fourth feature, following on 30 years after Cannes Festival Jury Prize winner “El sol del membrillo” (“Dream of Light”), “Cerrar los ojos” is written by Erice and Michel Gaztambide, a Spanish Academy best screenplay Goya Award winner for “No Rest for the Wicked.” The story of a disappearance, the film revolves “around issues such as identity and memory,” its producers announced Monday.
Producer Cristina Zumárraga lead produces the production through Tandem Films, the company...
- 12/12/2022
- by Emiliano De Pablos and John Hopewell
- Variety Film + TV
Landing Antonio de la Torre as the co-lead to the already announced Maribel Verdú, we are chalking up Pablo Berger‘s third feature film as a subtitle film item to look out for in 2017. Cineuropa reports that Torre, Quim Gutiérrez, José Mota and José María Pou have joined Abracadabra — with production being set up for early May in Madrid and Navarre.
Gist: This revolves around Carmen (Verdú), a housewife who lives in the Carabanchel neighbourhood of Madrid. One day, she discovers that her husband, Carlos (De la Torre), seems to be possessed by an evil spirit, and so begins a thorough investigation, straddling terror and ludicrousness, to try and get him back.
Worth Noting: Berger’s debut film Torremolinos 73 was distributed in the U.S via First Run Features.
Do We Care?: Blancanieves (read Nicholas Bell’s review) announced Berger as a filmmaker to look out for. Repairing...
Gist: This revolves around Carmen (Verdú), a housewife who lives in the Carabanchel neighbourhood of Madrid. One day, she discovers that her husband, Carlos (De la Torre), seems to be possessed by an evil spirit, and so begins a thorough investigation, straddling terror and ludicrousness, to try and get him back.
Worth Noting: Berger’s debut film Torremolinos 73 was distributed in the U.S via First Run Features.
Do We Care?: Blancanieves (read Nicholas Bell’s review) announced Berger as a filmmaker to look out for. Repairing...
- 3/2/2016
- by Eric Lavallee
- IONCINEMA.com
'The Sea Inside': Javier Bardem and director Alejandro Amenábar. 'The Sea Inside': Outstanding supporting cast help to lift flawed Right to Die drama Alejandro Amenábar's The Sea Inside often verges on melodrama, featuring as its centerpiece a showy performance by Javier Bardem as a tetraplegic man eager to end his life “with dignity.” Its not inconsiderable flaws notwithstanding – including a simplistic “right to die” debate – this real-life-inspired drama is in and of itself both compelling and touching enough to merit a look; but what makes The Sea Inside a must-see are the superb performances of those in Bardem's periphery. The story revolves around Ramón Sampedro (Javier Bardem), a middle-aged man who has been bed-ridden and dependent on the care of others since a diving accident in his early 20s. (Hence the original Spanish title “Into the Sea.”) Yearning for freedom from his mostly immobile body,...
- 8/23/2015
- by Andre Soares
- Alt Film Guide
Chicago – There’s something even more bittersweet and poignant about the beautiful, mesmerizing “Blancanieves,” new to Blu-ray and DVD, when one thinks that it was one of the last movies that Roger Ebert fell in love with. The legendary critic adored this film so much that he programmed it for the Overlooked Film Festival, which unspooled shortly after his death. Seeing the film now and the way it deals with loss while also paying homage to the history of cinema, it seems almost like a tribute to the man who engendered a love of film for so many people. Although the connection to Ebert is only the final beautiful twist to a major piece of work, one of the more engaging and well-made films of 2013. This film is a special one. Don’t miss it.
Rating: 4.5/5.0
I’ll admit that I didn’t see “Blancanieves” in theaters and kind of avoided it.
Rating: 4.5/5.0
I’ll admit that I didn’t see “Blancanieves” in theaters and kind of avoided it.
- 9/9/2013
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
San Sebastian -- Sir Ian McKellen picked up the Donostia lifetime achievement award late Wednesday at the 57th San Sebastian International Film Festival, thanking the festival for recognizing his 50-year acting career, rather than just one performance.
"If I'm in competition, it's with myself alone," McKellen said, after receiving the statue from Spanish actor Josep Maria Pou.
Also Wednesday, Imanol Uribe received the first Zinemira award, newly created by the festival to reward a Basque filmmaker.
Spanish Film Academy president Alex de la Iglesia -- a native of the Basque region, where the festival is held on Spain's northern coast -- gave Uribe the award.
Elsewhere, Federico Veiroj's Uruguayan "La Vida Util," won the grand prize at the Films in Progress sidebar, securing post-production financing to a finished 35 mm copy of the film. Actor Daniel Hendler's directorial debut "Norberto Apenas Tarde," from Uruguay, won the Tve Award --...
"If I'm in competition, it's with myself alone," McKellen said, after receiving the statue from Spanish actor Josep Maria Pou.
Also Wednesday, Imanol Uribe received the first Zinemira award, newly created by the festival to reward a Basque filmmaker.
Spanish Film Academy president Alex de la Iglesia -- a native of the Basque region, where the festival is held on Spain's northern coast -- gave Uribe the award.
Elsewhere, Federico Veiroj's Uruguayan "La Vida Util," won the grand prize at the Films in Progress sidebar, securing post-production financing to a finished 35 mm copy of the film. Actor Daniel Hendler's directorial debut "Norberto Apenas Tarde," from Uruguay, won the Tve Award --...
- 9/24/2009
- by By Pamela Rolfe
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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