Marco, l'énigme d'une vie

Marco likes the spotlight, and dramatic stories are for him a viable mean of obtaining it. In his youth, he tries his hand at telling imaginary feats of heroism, but later he will fly even higher, so close to the sun indeed. He will become the president of an association of deportees: a much loved president, working tirelessly and effectively to raise the profile of the association. Problem is, he's not a deportee.

His story reminded me of the lady who pretended to be black, in the strict sense that Marco too believes strongly in the cause, and believes himself to be useful to it: the lady probably believed it was just an accident of birth that made her be actually white, Marco similarly believes that him not being a deportee is just a detail, an accident of history. He will go to great lengths to reconcile his personal truth with the "real truth", or more exactly with the public truth, the mediatic narrative.

This is a character study, not a thriller, albeit there is strong tension in the first half. Ultimately, the authors tell us, what we present to the world is never truly what we are: Marco just went a bit higher, just a bit too close to the sun.

Does the end justify the means? Judging by what happens in the upper echelons of power, it certainly seems so. Lies have become a standard tool - practically a trend. Against this backdrop of manipulated truths and uncomfortable memories, this gripping thriller unfolds, not just to entertain, but to provoke reflection.

Eduard Fernández is absolutely outstanding. Brilliantly styled, he delivers a masterful performance as a deeply complex and contradictory man - someone ensnared by his own deception and the persona he has carefully constructed. His portrayal is nuanced and powerful, elevating the film to another level.

This intense historical thriller isn't just about revisiting the past - it delves into how we relate to history itself: what is remembered, what is hidden, and who gets to tell the story. With a taut script, confident direction, and a towering central performance, the film offers a haunting portrait of the cost of truth - and the human toll of well-told lies.

A bold, necessary film. At times uncomfortable, but always thought-provoking.

Some real-life stories seem straight out of a movie, and Enric Marco's is one of them. His life was a carefully crafted deception, and this film captures it with impeccable narrative control. The most fascinating part isn't just the lie itself, but how it managed to hold up for so long.

The film's greatest strength is its tone. It doesn't just judge the character-it presents him in all his complexity, with moments of humor, tension, and even a certain tenderness. The screenplay is finely tuned, avoiding unnecessary emphasis and allowing the story to unfold naturally.

Eduard Fernández is simply outstanding. He doesn't just play Marco; he becomes him. His gaze, gestures, and the way he moves all embody a man who lived within his own lie and convinced everyone around him. It's the kind of performance that elevates an entire film. Nathalie Poza also adds depth with a character who, while more restrained, plays a crucial role in the story.

Visually, the film is restrained but effective. It doesn't rely on gimmicks to captivate the audience because its story is powerful enough on its own. The editing avoids a rigid timeline, allowing the story to unfold more fluidly. Instead of revealing everything at once, the film carefully doles out information, building tension and keeping the viewer engaged until the very end.

What lingers after watching is more than just the story of an impostor. The film challenges us to reflect on the fine line between truth and fiction, on how reality can sometimes be shaped by what people choose to believe.

Beyond reconstructing Marco's deception, the film pushes us to question how far the truth can be bent to fit our perceptions. It explores how, at times, a well-told story can hold more weight than the facts themselves.

Inspired on the true story of Enric Marco (Eduard Fernández), who lives with his faithful wife Laura (Nathalie Poza). Along the way, the story exposing the lie of Enric Marco, a Spanish trade unionist who falsely claimed surviving Nazi concentration camps, serving as president of a Holocaust survivors' group. He's a peculiar man who, disguised as a Holocaust survivor, crafted a sophisticated narrative that ensnared not only himself but an entire society craving for heroes.

Eduard Fernández deservedly won the 2025 Goya Award for Best Actor for his portrayal of Enric Marco, a supposed survivor of the Third Reich's concentration camps. He even became President of the Friends of Mauthausen and other camps, but it turns out he had never been in a Nazi concentration camp.

A splendid period piece about a stirring story, well written and directed by Aregi and Agaraño (The Endless Trench, The Giant), 'Marco' tells the true story of this great impostor from his years of maximum prestige until his fraud is exposed. Thanks to a prestigious historian, Benito Bermejo, his lies are discovered, and he ends up having to admit everything. Well-intentioned performances of a good cast who truly shine, especially the main actor, the great Eduardo Fernández. Along with the always magnificent Eduardo Fernández, a large group of actors support him, also giving efficient performances, such as: Natalie Poza, Fermí Reixach, Sonia Almarcha, Daniel Ortiz, Chani Martín, Ainhoa Santamaría, among others.

The last twenty minutes when the discovery of the lie finally takes place, the film soars to great heights thanks to the great performance of the excellent main actor, the supporting actors and a certain tension that takes place. The film is spoken mostly in Catalan, I would ask that the possibility of dubbing into Spanish be added, as the average viewer, by tradition (the same as those fiilms translated from English) likes to hear them in the Castilian language and not make an additional effort to read subtitles.

It displays Javier Agirre's evocative cinematography creating an adequate environment and shot on the actual locations, mostly in Barcelona, Spain. As well as Aránzazu Callejas' sensitive musical score. This story based on true events was professionally directed by Aitor Arregi, and Jon Garaño. They have made notorious films as ¨La trinchera infinita¨ and ¨Handia¨or "Aundiya" (Alzo's Giant, 2017) that had a world premiere in San Sebastian Festival's main competition . Production partners , Irusoin and Moriarti Produkzoiak , two of Basque Country's most active producers, previously set up at 'Loreak' or "Flowers . ¨Loreak¨ and ¨Handia¨ mark a further step-up in the international ambitions of Basque cinema ¨Marco¨won several prizes and nominations, such as: Spanish Actors Union Eduard Fernández. 2025 Winner Award of the Spanish Actors Union Film: Lead Performance. Fotogramas de Plata 2025 Best Movie Actor Eduard Fernández. Cinema Writers Circle Awards, 2025 Winner CEC Award Best Actor. Goya Awards 2025 Nominee Goya Best Director Aitor Arregi, Jon Garaño, Winner Goya Best Lead Actor Winner Goya Best Makeup and Hairstyles. Feroz Awards, 2025 Winner Feroz Award Best Actor in a Leading Role, Nominee Feroz Award Best Trailer. 2024 Winner José María Forqué Award Best Actor Eduard Fernández.