Camino

This is a very intense movie, with a wonderful cast, perfectly directed. I can understand that some people may object to the film, in which it is not telling the story the way they want to hear it or have come to believe it, but that is beyond the point of the film: it is simply telling a story, in a beautiful, tender and positive way. And we must not forget, it is BASED on a true story, but just that, based, inspired on it. What we are presented here is a version, a very beautiful one, of a similar story. I think unfortunately any movie about religion, specially when disagreeing with the faith shown in it, is meant to cause trouble within the people that want to worship in that way. That, fortunately, does not dictate the stories that can be told on a film, and this one is obviously a fantastic one. I myself am absolutely non religious, but I enjoyed the story for being so moving, and loved to see the Opus Dei side of it as I consider it interesting, as I would consider interesting a movie or documentary on a child believed to be the re-encarnation of the Buddha. But be sure, this is no Da Vinci Code here, it is not intended to make a caricature of Opus Dei, it is simply done from another point of view which adds to the interest of the movie: after all a movie about a girl saint done from the Opus Dei (or any other religion) point of view would be not only terribly propagandistic, but also much more boring.

Inspired by real events, it is an emotional adventure that revolves around Camino (Nerea Camacho) , an 11-year-old girl marked by a deep Catholic education, faces two completely new events for her: falling in love and dying. The film begins at the time of his death and then go back five months before and tell the story from the beginning of her illness.

This better than average average charming story packs sensitive events, entertainment, emotion, good feeling and inspired by the life of Alexia Gonzalez Barros, to whom the film is dedicated, a 14-year-old girl who died and belonged to an Opus Day family. Javier Fesser will construct this tear-jerking drama with a touch of a fairy tale. With a brilliant cast, spectacular visual strength and an overwhelming script. With Camino, director Fesser intends to denounce religious fanaticism, dealing with the young daughter of sectarian religious fanatics faces a deadly illness soon after falling in love for the first time. That's why the film important media stir, and the rejection of some sectors of society. In fact, Alexia's own family disassociated themselves completely from the project and Fesser admitted to having rewritten the story to his own taste and opinion. Consequently, the director deceives the viewer by trying to make us believe that they are real events, when disproved by the family, they are actually a complete invention of the writer and director Fesser. Camino managed to become the great winner of the XXIII edition of the Goya Awards, winning six awards: best film, best director, original screenplay, best leading actor: Carmen Elias, best supporting actor: Jordi Dauder , and best new actress for the very young Nerea Camacho as an eleven-year-old believing girl, who faces two facts that are completely new to her: falling in love and dying. The performances of the entire principal and secondary cast are magnificent, including the following: Carme Elias, Mariano Venancio, Manuela Vellés, Lola Casamayor, Ana Gracia, Pepe Ocio, Jan Cornet as Angel Custodio, uncredited Fernando Guillén Cuervo as school priest and Jordi Dauder as an Opus Day priest.

It contains a brilliant and colorful cinematography by cameramanAlex Catalán, adding a fantastic special effects. Special mention for musical score from Rafael Arnau, including songs: Cigarrettes Written and Performed by Lourdes Hernández; Estoy Aquí Performed by Shakira; Escape To The Garden Music from the original motion picture La cenicienta (1950); Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo Written by Mack David, Al Hoffman and Jerry Livingston , Music from the original motion picture La cenicienta (1950); Happy Birthday Written by Patty S. Hill and Mildred J. Hill; and Sleeping Beauty Waltz Written by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky The motion picture was competently written and directed by Javier Fesser. He is a comedy and humor expert who has written and directed a few fims and shorts, such as : Mortadelo and Filemon contra Jimmy el cachondo or mission implausible, The big adventure of Mortadelo and Filemon, Candida, Camino, The miracle of P. Tinto, Campeones and Campeonex. And shorts as Invictus, Bienvenidos and 17 year together. Rating 6.5/10. Better than average. Well worth watching. A dramatic entertainment for the whole family.

CAMINO is one of the most intense, beautiful, and inspiring films I have ever seen. It's incredible how a history filled with such grey, such sad characters, can come to be so categorically positive, so affirming. It's amazing that a film that takes on death in such an upfront way and so bravely can be such a passionate homage to life. The best part about the film is that it criticizes nothing, it only conveys reality, and in a surprisingly objective way. I, who consider myself very religious, find this film, in addition to being profoundly human, full of love and tenderness, a film that is also brimming with God. Of course, a God that is totally different from the one Opus Dei twists around its little finger for its exclusive benefit.

Having looked at some of the comments left by users about this movie I am not sure whether we saw the same movie.. the movie that i saw was so bad that i wanted to walk out after half an hour, except i was with someone and didn't want to upset them. the start of the movie - where the girl is on her deathbed, with family, hospital staff and clergy, got me interested. What had happened before ? why was she so sick ? etc. However, my attention soon waned as the movie refused to decide what it was. Was it a kid's movie ? well, it would certainly appeal to a female tween audience, i.e. things such as discovering boys, close relations with the father, etc, but graphically showing what happened in the operation. Did we really need to see inside her spine and that massive needle? The movie is confused by sub-plots and asides, such as the book she discovers - Mr Tweebly ?? - which could've played a much larger part in telling the story, but only gets a few mentions. And so out of context. It is like several different directors or editors just pasted scenes together, with no narrative or focus to push the story forward. The little girl was lovely, but sickly sweet in her demeanor, if her eyes widen once more in astonishment, i will scream. Everything that happened in the movie was signposted so blatantly that there was no surprise or anticipation, prime example being when her Dad dies in the car crash. Is the movie pro or anti-religion, it seems to be scathing in how religion can corrupt and divide families, but in the end all that the older sister does is put the 'unsuitable' book in the same cupboard as the more appropriate material. It said, at the end of the film, that it is based on a true story and that the person in question is waiting for beautification, so it is confusing as to the director's viewpoint. In summary, what looked like an interesting idea - looking back at the months before someone's death - was a hodgepodge of confusion, stupid fantastical scenes where she chases mice and is chased by the guardian angel and supporting characters who are predictable and not very likable. The film tries to do too much and ends up being very little. A movie to recommend where a young girl is the protagonist, which involves fantasy and supernatural themes and is entertaining is Pan's Labyrinth,

Visual artifice without depth. And the worst of all: a complete bunch of lies, and promotes hatred. First of all, we must know that all fact depicted on this film are not based on real life of Alexia, even when the director suggests that.

The one and only merit of director, Javier Fesser, is to be brother of a known radio comedian in Spain. In the other side, we have an excellent teenage actress with a brilliant future, Nerea Camacho.

The movie does not deserve to exist if it causes so much pain to the girl's family, taking advantage of his death. Artistically it certainly, does not provide such a long value.