“A Dead Man Cannot Live” begins with Tano, played by the lanky, weathered, deep-voiced Antonio Dechent, one of the finest actors of his around-60 Spanish generation, sitting at a bar rail, and thinking back on better times.
Even the Costa de Sol narco business is going to ruin. Tano’s boss, Manuel, is senile, his son and heir, the inappropriately named Angel, totally out of control. When younger mobsters steal Tano’s latest drug shipment from Morocco, Tano is given a week to retrieve it by the Russians mafia or die.
In the 2000s, Spain’s dominated Europe’s horror genre. Shoot-em-ups, like “A Dead Man,” form part of a building wave of crafted Spanish action thrillers. Few are as bloody and violent as “A Dead Man” which becomes a critique of the tragic consequences of the very brutality it portrays.
Sold by Filmax, the feature debut of Ezekiel Montes...
Even the Costa de Sol narco business is going to ruin. Tano’s boss, Manuel, is senile, his son and heir, the inappropriately named Angel, totally out of control. When younger mobsters steal Tano’s latest drug shipment from Morocco, Tano is given a week to retrieve it by the Russians mafia or die.
In the 2000s, Spain’s dominated Europe’s horror genre. Shoot-em-ups, like “A Dead Man,” form part of a building wave of crafted Spanish action thrillers. Few are as bloody and violent as “A Dead Man” which becomes a critique of the tragic consequences of the very brutality it portrays.
Sold by Filmax, the feature debut of Ezekiel Montes...
- 10/21/2021
- by John Hopewell
- Variety Film + TV
Beta Entertainment Spain is joining forces with Nicely Entertainment, the L.A.-based outfit run by former Gaumont executive Vanessa Shapiro, to produce the TV thriller series project “The Tamer.”
The project, about a serial killer who tames and trains other killers to take down more of their kind, has attached Spain’s Paco Torres (“El vuelo del tren”) as writer, director and showrunner, alongside Mexican director of photography Guillermo Navarro, who won an Academy Award for Guillermo del Toro’s “Pan’s Labyrinth.”
This deal marks an early incursion into the international TV drama production sector by Beta Entertainment Spain, the Madrid-based joint venture launched late last year by European film-tv giant Beta Film and Spanish producer Javier Pérez de Silva.
Bes is conceived as a bridge into the U.S. and Latin American TV markets.
“Partnering with U.S. and Latin American companies was a top priority for us.
The project, about a serial killer who tames and trains other killers to take down more of their kind, has attached Spain’s Paco Torres (“El vuelo del tren”) as writer, director and showrunner, alongside Mexican director of photography Guillermo Navarro, who won an Academy Award for Guillermo del Toro’s “Pan’s Labyrinth.”
This deal marks an early incursion into the international TV drama production sector by Beta Entertainment Spain, the Madrid-based joint venture launched late last year by European film-tv giant Beta Film and Spanish producer Javier Pérez de Silva.
Bes is conceived as a bridge into the U.S. and Latin American TV markets.
“Partnering with U.S. and Latin American companies was a top priority for us.
- 10/14/2020
- by Emiliano De Pablos
- Variety Film + TV
After nearly a decade, Kate Del Castillo will reprise her role as Teresa Mendoza in the return of the Narco drama La Reina del Sur, set to debut in 2019 on Telemundo. The original story, based on the novel of the same by Arturo Perez-Reverte, follows Mendoza’s climb to the top of the male-dominated Narco world that trafficked drugs on a global scale.
Joining Del Castillo in the new season, which shot on location in seven countries, are a mix of returning actors and new multilingual, international talent including Raoul Bova (Under the Tuscan Sun), Eric Roberts (The Dark Knight), Paola Nuñez (The Son), Antonio Gil (Quantum of Solace), and legendary novela actor Humberto Zurita.
The series will pick up eight years after the events of the finale where audiences learned that Mendoza was pregnant and unsure of her future. When La Reina returns, audiences learn she’s disappeared into the U.
Joining Del Castillo in the new season, which shot on location in seven countries, are a mix of returning actors and new multilingual, international talent including Raoul Bova (Under the Tuscan Sun), Eric Roberts (The Dark Knight), Paola Nuñez (The Son), Antonio Gil (Quantum of Solace), and legendary novela actor Humberto Zurita.
The series will pick up eight years after the events of the finale where audiences learned that Mendoza was pregnant and unsure of her future. When La Reina returns, audiences learn she’s disappeared into the U.
- 11/29/2018
- by Rosy Cordero
- Deadline Film + TV
Madrid — In an alliance which links three of the potential key players in Spain’s new TV scene, broadcast network Mediaset España and Warner Bros. International TV Production España will produce, with the participation of Netflix, primetime cop thriller “Brigada Costa del Sol.”
Starring Hugo Silva, and set in southern Spain, over 1977-82, “Brigada Costa del Sol” will screen first on Mediaset España’s main Telecinco channel, and then globally on Netflix in a first window and second window for Spain.
Inspired by the history of one of Spain’s first anti-narcotics squads, the Grupo Especial de Estupefacientes Costa del Sol, the thriller, set in Torremolinos, narrates the humble origins but huge success of the operation. Shooting from June 7 on location in Malaga and its environs, the series will mix police procedural with drama, romance and the protagonist’s voice over, given his own “subjective and cynical viewpoint” counterpointing the...
Starring Hugo Silva, and set in southern Spain, over 1977-82, “Brigada Costa del Sol” will screen first on Mediaset España’s main Telecinco channel, and then globally on Netflix in a first window and second window for Spain.
Inspired by the history of one of Spain’s first anti-narcotics squads, the Grupo Especial de Estupefacientes Costa del Sol, the thriller, set in Torremolinos, narrates the humble origins but huge success of the operation. Shooting from June 7 on location in Malaga and its environs, the series will mix police procedural with drama, romance and the protagonist’s voice over, given his own “subjective and cynical viewpoint” counterpointing the...
- 5/28/2018
- by John Hopewell and Emiliano De Pablos
- Variety Film + TV
Marshland
Written by Rafael Cobos and Alberto Rodríguez
Directed by Alberto Rodríguez
Spain, 2014
On the surface, the Spanish film Marshland, by director/co-writer Alberto Rodríguez, is a mere procedural. A gripping one, complete with a thrilling third act car chase and a compelling whodunit at its heart, and ornamented by gorgeous cinematography from Alex Catalán, but a buddy cop procedural nonetheless. Just underneath this captivating veneer, though, is a haunting tale about violence’s lack of transience, and one which situates it within the aftermath of political upheaval.
Not that any of this overshadows the mystery. Marshland begins in 1980, just after the the fall of the Franco dictatorship, with the mysterious disappearance of two teenage sisters in the titular countryside of Spain. Juan (Javier Gutiérrez) and Pedro (Raúl Arévalo) are the detectives assigned to the case, and their search soon turns up the girls—albeit dead, mutilated, and with evidence of having been raped.
Written by Rafael Cobos and Alberto Rodríguez
Directed by Alberto Rodríguez
Spain, 2014
On the surface, the Spanish film Marshland, by director/co-writer Alberto Rodríguez, is a mere procedural. A gripping one, complete with a thrilling third act car chase and a compelling whodunit at its heart, and ornamented by gorgeous cinematography from Alex Catalán, but a buddy cop procedural nonetheless. Just underneath this captivating veneer, though, is a haunting tale about violence’s lack of transience, and one which situates it within the aftermath of political upheaval.
Not that any of this overshadows the mystery. Marshland begins in 1980, just after the the fall of the Franco dictatorship, with the mysterious disappearance of two teenage sisters in the titular countryside of Spain. Juan (Javier Gutiérrez) and Pedro (Raúl Arévalo) are the detectives assigned to the case, and their search soon turns up the girls—albeit dead, mutilated, and with evidence of having been raped.
- 8/4/2015
- by Max Bledstein
- SoundOnSight
"Marshland" (La Isla Minima) had its U.S. Premier at the Miami Dade College's Miami International Film Festival on March 12, 2015 - Isa: Film Factory Entertainment, U.S. Distribution: Outsider Pictures
Tight-sealed secrets begin to come undone in a ramshackle Spanish small town when a gruesome discovery brings a pair of outsiders to investigate in Alberto Rodríguez’ enigmatic thriller “Marshland” (La Isla Minima). Set in the 1980s post-Franco era, the mysterious events carry deep-rooted fears and an ever-present sense of mistrust associated with the fact that the "democratic state" is still something new.
Brutal repression and corruption were the norm for many decades here, and to think it all has changed so fast is more an illusion than anything anyone really believes. This murky divide between the new Spain that exists in theory and the darkness that lies underneath corroding society is encompassed in a film that deliberately opens many cans of worms but doesn't focus on tying all the lose ends, is in that vagueness that Rodriguez achieves brilliance.
Removed from their original posts in the city due to undisclosed circumstances, two homicide detectives are entrusted with the mission of finding two missing teenage girls in the wetlands of Rio Guadalquivir in southern Spain. For Pedro (Raúl Arévalo), the youngest and more idealistic of the two, this assignment feels like a punishment. He plays by the rules and does his job with an unflinching sense of duty. Pedro has definitely more at stake than his partner, Juan (Javier Gutiérrez), who is outspoken about not wishing to become a hero. While both may have unflattering baggage, Juan's past quickly reveals itself to be one helmed by ruthless violence. Polarizing ideologies an all, the odd duo must reach a middle ground in order to successfully find the girls, or those who might have hurt them.
The well-known good cop/bad cop dynamic comes into play when Juan and Pedro try to get information from the frightened locals. On the surface Juan’s approach is much more relaxed and goes along with the idiosyncrasies of this remote place. He speaks calmly and even appears sympathetic to everyone’s concerns. This is a man with experience, even if it was forged by questionable practices during the military dictatorship. Gutierrez marvelously imbues his character with unnerving ambiguity as if every decision he makes is somewhere in between a genuine intention to solve the case and a self-serving tactic to take advantage of the situation. Honest Pedro abides by opposite principles and comes off as an insensitive snub at first in the eyes of the townspeople. His family back home is a constant reminder that he needs to remain focused and get this done fast. Contrasting with Gutierrez’ seemingly nonchalant performance, Arevalo exudes trustworthiness still untainted by cynicism. Both thespians give “Marshland” a set of balanced perspectives needed to take on what will be thrown at them.
Guiding us through a tapestry of deceit with every twist, Rodriguez reveals small glimpses of what could be the truth in every scene. Insignificant pieces of new information that slowly build a puzzle far more complex than expected. Following several visits to the missing girls' parents, their classmates, and other people who might have seen something, the two detectives are pointed to Quini (Jesús Castro), the town’s Casanova. The blue-eyed young man is known as “El Guapo” or “The Handsome One,” and has an arrogant attitude that makes him a prime suspect in the investigation. But when the girl’s bodies are found raped, tortured, and mutilated, Juan and Pedro realize that these murders are just the tip of the iceberg in an intricate criminal network fueled by hopelessness.
Supporting the director's piercing vision of his homeland at a crucial and transformative time is Alex Catalán's exquisite cinematography, which matches the caliber of any American studio production. Especially stunning is the opening credit sequence that highlights the otherworldly landscapes of the region adding to the story’s allure. By focusing on the vastness and isolation that mark this rice-producing part of the country, the film allows for the horrendous to hide in plain sight and become all the more intriguing.
Once the lifeless victims appear, the protagonists’ quest turns into a manhunt to track down whoever is behind it before he or she kills again, but the motivations are as difficult to pinpoint as the perpetrators. Poverty is at the center of most vices that afflict this community. People here - particularly young girls - want to escape the lack of opportunities and see any job prospects in the city as a magical chance for a new life. Those who abducted and murdered the sisters preyed on that desire and their naïve hopes. Underscoring the central conflict are other subtle indicators that the reason behind these events is dubious. There are farm workers on strike asking for better wages from the local tycoon who indiscriminately profits from the land, and an overall atmosphere of desperation permeates most households.
Under such strenuous financial pressures it’s not surprising that people are willing to venture into illegal activities, but with every new uncovered clue the detectives have to shift their attention from drug trafficking, to what could be some sort of snuff photography, to the possibility of the girls’ families being involved. It’s a tricky plot to wrap one’s head around. Eventually - and elevating the tension to even greater heights - Juan’s turbulent history is presented to Pedro by an avid journalist, but by now a supportive relationship has developed between the two partners. Instinctively Pedro refuses to believe the Juan he knows and the one from his past are the same person, but caution is his best ally.
Even with the countless subplots and red herrings that construct it, “Marshland” never loses sight of its core subject that resides within Pedro and Juan’s shaky bond. One represents the romanticized idea of justice that should reign over a nation reborn, while the other works as a reminder that the malevolent practices that savagely oppressed them never perished. Arevalo and Goya Award-winner Gutierrez are superb in every turn of this maze-like mystery. They manage to encapsulate the complexities of two opposing visions of Spain in their performances. Their rapport is so effective on screen that at times Arevalo‘s Pedro takes on the violent qualities of his fellow detective, and the lines between the two dramatically blur.
Certainty and unquestionable answers aren’t included in “Marshland,” and that could be problematic for the spectator that looks for closure, but by forfeiting the notion that everything must be resolved, Rodriguez crafts a much more enthralling film. He distills the troubles of modern Spain into a classically arranged thriller, and through that familiar premise the filmmaker manages to create so much more. One small town and a handful of characters express more about the country’s societal division than a larger scale story could. “Marshland” is also a technically immaculate production on all fronts from the costume design to its chilling musical score. It feels like a major motion picture while retaining its art house appeal. With a film like this, it would seem like Alberto Rodriguez is ready for Hollywood, but let’s hope he continues to make works as thought provoking as this, because “Marshland” is definitely an extraordinary, career-defining achievement.
Follow SydneysBuzz on Twitter @sydneysbuzz and on Facebook
Follow Carlos Aguilar on Twitter @Carlos_Film and on Instagram @carlosfilm...
Tight-sealed secrets begin to come undone in a ramshackle Spanish small town when a gruesome discovery brings a pair of outsiders to investigate in Alberto Rodríguez’ enigmatic thriller “Marshland” (La Isla Minima). Set in the 1980s post-Franco era, the mysterious events carry deep-rooted fears and an ever-present sense of mistrust associated with the fact that the "democratic state" is still something new.
Brutal repression and corruption were the norm for many decades here, and to think it all has changed so fast is more an illusion than anything anyone really believes. This murky divide between the new Spain that exists in theory and the darkness that lies underneath corroding society is encompassed in a film that deliberately opens many cans of worms but doesn't focus on tying all the lose ends, is in that vagueness that Rodriguez achieves brilliance.
Removed from their original posts in the city due to undisclosed circumstances, two homicide detectives are entrusted with the mission of finding two missing teenage girls in the wetlands of Rio Guadalquivir in southern Spain. For Pedro (Raúl Arévalo), the youngest and more idealistic of the two, this assignment feels like a punishment. He plays by the rules and does his job with an unflinching sense of duty. Pedro has definitely more at stake than his partner, Juan (Javier Gutiérrez), who is outspoken about not wishing to become a hero. While both may have unflattering baggage, Juan's past quickly reveals itself to be one helmed by ruthless violence. Polarizing ideologies an all, the odd duo must reach a middle ground in order to successfully find the girls, or those who might have hurt them.
The well-known good cop/bad cop dynamic comes into play when Juan and Pedro try to get information from the frightened locals. On the surface Juan’s approach is much more relaxed and goes along with the idiosyncrasies of this remote place. He speaks calmly and even appears sympathetic to everyone’s concerns. This is a man with experience, even if it was forged by questionable practices during the military dictatorship. Gutierrez marvelously imbues his character with unnerving ambiguity as if every decision he makes is somewhere in between a genuine intention to solve the case and a self-serving tactic to take advantage of the situation. Honest Pedro abides by opposite principles and comes off as an insensitive snub at first in the eyes of the townspeople. His family back home is a constant reminder that he needs to remain focused and get this done fast. Contrasting with Gutierrez’ seemingly nonchalant performance, Arevalo exudes trustworthiness still untainted by cynicism. Both thespians give “Marshland” a set of balanced perspectives needed to take on what will be thrown at them.
Guiding us through a tapestry of deceit with every twist, Rodriguez reveals small glimpses of what could be the truth in every scene. Insignificant pieces of new information that slowly build a puzzle far more complex than expected. Following several visits to the missing girls' parents, their classmates, and other people who might have seen something, the two detectives are pointed to Quini (Jesús Castro), the town’s Casanova. The blue-eyed young man is known as “El Guapo” or “The Handsome One,” and has an arrogant attitude that makes him a prime suspect in the investigation. But when the girl’s bodies are found raped, tortured, and mutilated, Juan and Pedro realize that these murders are just the tip of the iceberg in an intricate criminal network fueled by hopelessness.
Supporting the director's piercing vision of his homeland at a crucial and transformative time is Alex Catalán's exquisite cinematography, which matches the caliber of any American studio production. Especially stunning is the opening credit sequence that highlights the otherworldly landscapes of the region adding to the story’s allure. By focusing on the vastness and isolation that mark this rice-producing part of the country, the film allows for the horrendous to hide in plain sight and become all the more intriguing.
Once the lifeless victims appear, the protagonists’ quest turns into a manhunt to track down whoever is behind it before he or she kills again, but the motivations are as difficult to pinpoint as the perpetrators. Poverty is at the center of most vices that afflict this community. People here - particularly young girls - want to escape the lack of opportunities and see any job prospects in the city as a magical chance for a new life. Those who abducted and murdered the sisters preyed on that desire and their naïve hopes. Underscoring the central conflict are other subtle indicators that the reason behind these events is dubious. There are farm workers on strike asking for better wages from the local tycoon who indiscriminately profits from the land, and an overall atmosphere of desperation permeates most households.
Under such strenuous financial pressures it’s not surprising that people are willing to venture into illegal activities, but with every new uncovered clue the detectives have to shift their attention from drug trafficking, to what could be some sort of snuff photography, to the possibility of the girls’ families being involved. It’s a tricky plot to wrap one’s head around. Eventually - and elevating the tension to even greater heights - Juan’s turbulent history is presented to Pedro by an avid journalist, but by now a supportive relationship has developed between the two partners. Instinctively Pedro refuses to believe the Juan he knows and the one from his past are the same person, but caution is his best ally.
Even with the countless subplots and red herrings that construct it, “Marshland” never loses sight of its core subject that resides within Pedro and Juan’s shaky bond. One represents the romanticized idea of justice that should reign over a nation reborn, while the other works as a reminder that the malevolent practices that savagely oppressed them never perished. Arevalo and Goya Award-winner Gutierrez are superb in every turn of this maze-like mystery. They manage to encapsulate the complexities of two opposing visions of Spain in their performances. Their rapport is so effective on screen that at times Arevalo‘s Pedro takes on the violent qualities of his fellow detective, and the lines between the two dramatically blur.
Certainty and unquestionable answers aren’t included in “Marshland,” and that could be problematic for the spectator that looks for closure, but by forfeiting the notion that everything must be resolved, Rodriguez crafts a much more enthralling film. He distills the troubles of modern Spain into a classically arranged thriller, and through that familiar premise the filmmaker manages to create so much more. One small town and a handful of characters express more about the country’s societal division than a larger scale story could. “Marshland” is also a technically immaculate production on all fronts from the costume design to its chilling musical score. It feels like a major motion picture while retaining its art house appeal. With a film like this, it would seem like Alberto Rodriguez is ready for Hollywood, but let’s hope he continues to make works as thought provoking as this, because “Marshland” is definitely an extraordinary, career-defining achievement.
Follow SydneysBuzz on Twitter @sydneysbuzz and on Facebook
Follow Carlos Aguilar on Twitter @Carlos_Film and on Instagram @carlosfilm...
- 3/13/2015
- by Carlos Aguilar
- Sydney's Buzz
IMDb.com, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb's opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. Please visit the source responsible for the item in question to report any concerns you may have regarding content or accuracy.