Óscar. Una pasión surrealista

"I´m not French, I'm Surrealist and I came from a Surrealist island", says the born in the Isle of Tenerife, painter Oscar Dominguez (played by the great Portuguese actor) as a sort of cover letter, at some point of this stimulating film. Dominguez was a remarkable artist who lives and was an important member of twenty century 20's Parisian surrealist apogee. He socialized with André Breton or Pablo Picasso, among others underground genius.

The first film of Lucas Domínguez makes is remarkable in terms of locations (The film was shot in Tenerife, Madrid, Prague and Paris), cinematography, and soundtrack, that is optimally integrated into the plot, underlaying on a delicate way the solitude or the weight of past, such an important issues for the two stories of the film. The soundtrack was created by one of the most important Spanish composers of the last years, another great artist from Tenerife, but international as well: Diego Navarro.

A quite cosmopolitan and interesting bunch of Spanish, Cuban or British actors and actress, join to Joaquin de Almeida in order to offer compelling performances.

Definitely, Oscar: Una Pasión Surrealista is a very solvent product, very didactic, of which transcends the efforts invested by their creators and filmmakers.

Thank to this film I have discovered the figure of Oscar Domínguez. I didn´t know this artist and his relationship with the surrealism group in France and it has been a revelation. I have found the story truly emotional and Joaquim de Almeida's work here is mesmerising. His presence in the screen is hypnotising and devastating. It was also a surprise to find the classic actor Jack Taylor in the cast, and I have enjoyed also fantastic performances such as Emma Suárez, Paola Bontempi (beautiful her performance of Roma) or José Luis de Madariaga (I loved his character of the crazy old man). This is Lucas Fernández first film and, in my opinion, it is way ahead other film debuts. All the historical part is quite emotional and well constructed. The film has also a wonderful cinematography and a stunning score.

I saw this movie while visiting Spain, and despite the big promotion, it is one of the worst movies in history. I read, while in Madrid, the local reviews (unfortunately, before i went to see the movie, "lucky" me), and not a single one approved this movie.

Stay away from it. It is not even worth of a pirate copy or a free download. It is an insult to the Art of Cinematography.

Only Almeida and Emma Suarez pass the test. The rest seemed to be there to cash their check and go, as no one showed any interest in their part.

On top of it, this movie it is supposed to be about the life of this (totally unknown) painter. Not one single Spanish person I talked to knew this painter beforehand. It seemed like a push by some interest group to make this long deceased painter be known, for some dark reasons. The movie concentrates on other matters not related to the painter, that leaves us thinking: "Why did I waste two hours of my life coming here?"

I did not know the painter before going into the theater, and when I left, I had the feeling I knew him even less.