Morir en San Hilario

San Hilario is a village that's made a killing by putting on great funerals, but business is slack. It's been ten years since they had a customer. They're a bit rusty.

When they do get a client, he dies before he can get there - but an escaping bank robber is mistaken for the man expected. At first he's happy to be in this village cut off from the world and the police searching for him, and it's two days before he finds out that his welcome, the visit to the church, meeting the priest, and getting measured up by the tailor are preliminaries to his own funeral.

It's sad and funny - there's a framed map of San Hilario, as a dot in the middle of nowhere that says "you are here". "A fictional story with touches of magical realism" is writer-director Laura Mañá's own take on her film, which touches on life, death, love, truth, faith, doubt and hope.

The little town of San Hilario uses to celebrate busy funerals organising noisy parties that end in its graveyard. They are keenly awaiting for the arrival of a new client , German Cortes , to spend his last days in the village , but this one dies on a train before reaching his destination . When a strong confrontation between mobsters and policemen takes place , the tough thief Antonio , Luis Homar , escapes and he takes the identity of German Cortes .Then , the good people of San Hilario ends up welcoming the mobster Antonio by mistake and to save their business .

This is a subtle , simple and endering , though rare, tale about the sympathetic villagers who use to make its living from their particular cemetery , but nowadays they need for quick funerals , that's why the people of San Hilario have almost run of work and the inhabitants need urgently to organize fabulous buryings . The film belongs to "Realismo Magico" or Magical Realism tendry , a fantasy style usually developing into the South American writings . This is a dramedy , drama and black comedy, dealing with interesting issues : life and death , redemption , rural habits and an enjoyable love story . Cast is pretty good , giving nice interpretation , such as Luis Homar as the fugitive who is glad to not clarify the misunderstanding , so witnesses in increasing amazement the preparations f his own burying . Ana Fernandez is very fine as the attractive tailor who dresses the corpses and falls for the unfortunate thief . And nice secondaries such as Ferran Rañe, Berliner , Dumont and Juan Echanove as priest Antonio .

This is a Spanish ,Argentina coproduction financed by Filmax Julio/Carlos Fernandez who have produced several hits , such as Terror movies : Romasanta, Mientras duermes, Transsiberian, Summer camp, Retornados , Arachnid, Rottweiler , Rec saga ; Cartoon movies : Gisuku, Donkeyxote, Nocturna , Copito de nieve , and dramas : El lobo , Kovak box , Bullying , among others . It displays an evocative and colorful cinematography shot in Patagonia by Javier Salmones , an expert cameraman who has photographed successes as Alegro ma non Troppo, Finisterre , Romasanta , Retornados , Posesion Emma Evans , Arte de morir , Voz de tu amo and Fie0sta de Chivo .The motion picture was professionally directed by Laura Maña . He is a prestigious actress and filmmaker . As an actress she has played a lot of films , usually in secondary cast such as 13 campanadas, Nowhere , Stand-by , Libertarias , La pasion Turca , La teta y la Luna. As a filmmaker she has directed notorious pictures such as Concepcion Arenal visitadora de carceles , Clara Campoamor , Ni Dios ni patron ni marido, Palabras encadenadas and Sexo por compasion. Rating : Acceptable and passable film . It won the following awards and nominations : Award winner Viareggio Europa Cinema best screeplay , winner Platinum Audience to Laura Maña . Malaga nominee Golden Bizenaga to Laura Maña . And nominee Butaca Awards 2005 best Catalan film Laura Maña and best Catalan film actor to Luis Homar .

A criminal on the run finds himself in the charming back-water town of San Hilario. The town folk mistakenly take the criminal for a former resident who has come back to the town of his birth, to die. The criminal is grateful, but doesn't really understand the town's hospitality nor the regard with which they seem to hold the criminal.

This Spanish language film is sub-titled. This fact along with the lack of any narration (by characters or narrator) creates a bit of confusion for the viewer. This is quickly cleared up as the movie progresses and the sub-title reading becomes easy enough to enjoy.

The movie has touching moments, as well as a humorous look at the pro and cons of living the life of a human. Well worth the effort, especially on a raining Saturday night with a fire, a cup of hot chocolate, and a warm friend.

After a bloody confrontation between cops and robbers, one of the bank robbers manages to escape with the loot. He ends up in the small town San Hilario. Literary a dot on the map in the middle of nowhere. The villagers of this small community, that once thrived on the burial of people, see him as a man that contracted them to bury him there. This grave misunderstanding creates a funny interaction between the criminal, unaware of his own funeral, and the citizens pushing him to find out what he wants for the funeral.

Our story's protagonist sees his own life in retrospective because he has the unique opportunity to witness his own funeral. That position gives him some funny insights on life and death and the meaning of it all. Insights that he starts to share with others as the movie is progressing towards the end.

I really like the wacky villagers. They all have a life that has one purpose: taking care of the death. That weird aspect of their lives made them into the eccentric people they are. The priest has lost his faith in God; the tailor falls passionately in love with dying men in the town; the artist has a fond admiration for a woman but lacks the courage to even talk to her; a crippled boy doesn't believe that a girl will like him because of his handicap. These flawed people are hilarious, without being caricatures of themselves.

I'd give this movie an 8. While it is simple and perhaps predictable at times, it did move me with its gentle touch and its nice characters.