News

Una oda a la resiliencia y a la importancia de la comunidad en tiempos difíciles. © Beta Fiction

Beta Fiction ha publicado el primer tráiler de la película Rondallas, escrita y dirigida por Daniel Sánchez Arévalo (Azuloscurocasinegro).

Rondallas está ambientada dos años después del trágico naufragio de un pesquero que sacudió un pequeño pueblo pesquero gallego, cuando algunos miembros de la rondalla, un grupo de música tradicional en el que participan desde niños hasta ancianos, deciden que es el momento de recuperar la ilusión y dejar atrás el luto. Por ello, vuelven a reunirse para ponerla en marcha con la intención de competir en un concurso contra los pueblos vecinos, pero sobre todo para empezar a mirar de nuevo hacia adelante.

La comedia dramática está protagonizada por Javier Gutiérrez (Pájaros), María Vázquez (Los pequeños amores), Judith Fernández (Matusalén), Tamar Novas (Nowhere), Carlos Blanco (El caso Asunta) como los habitantes de este pueblo costero,...

Netflix’s A Widow’s Game is a twist-filled Spanish thriller that is strange mix of emotional manipulation, murder, and police investigation, wrapped in a tightly wound psychological drama. Directed by Belén Macías and starring Maribel Verdú as the cunning and cold-hearted Maje, alongside Tamar Novas as Salva and Verónica Echegui as the relentless detective Eva, the film dives into a complex web of lies. As Eva races to uncover the truth behind Arturo’s death, she also uncovers a chilling portrait of a woman who uses love as a weapon and deceit as survival.

If you found yourself drawn to A Widow’s Game for the twisted narrative and even twistier and morally gray characters, then this list of movies like A Widow’s Game will definitely appeal to you.

1. Anatomy of a Fall (2023)

Anatomy of a Fall centers on Sandra Voyter, a German writer living in the French Alps with her husband,...

Spain’s Tamar Novas, star of Netflix’s top non-English pic “Nowhere” in 2023, leads a top-tier cast that includes Marina Salas, Iván Marcos and Annick Weerts in Rubén Pérez Barrena’s upcoming debut feature “The Devil Within.”

The rural thriller is produced by Beatriz Bodegas at La Canica Films who won a Goya for the 2016 thriller “The Fury of a Patient Man” (“Tarde para la ira”).

Set in a remote Spanish village during the 1980s, “The Devil Within” follows Philippe, a young French boy who arrives with his parents seeking peace—but instead, they meet Miguel (Novas), a local man unraveling after the mysterious disappearance of his son.

Blending emotional depth with slow-burning tension, the film explores how grief and trauma can push people to their limits—and asks a chilling question: What if tragedy brings out our darkest selves?

“I am very grateful to this film project and especially...

The excitement and cosplay fun of San Diego Comic-Con is coming to Europe. Under an agreement managed by Img Licensing, “Sdcc is setting roots outside the United States for the first time in its history, making its European debut in Málaga,” the Andalucía region of Spain, this September, organizers said on Monday.

For four days from Sept. 25-28, 2025, the city will host the first official San Diego Comic Convention-licensed event outside the U.S. “This historic milestone would not have been possible without the institutional support of the Junta de Andalucía and the Málaga City Council, who have firmly committed to making Málaga the European capital of popular arts,” Sdcc said.

The international expansion was unveiled during an event at the Gran Hotel Miramar in Málaga, hosted by director, and screenwriter Santiago Segura, and including Junta de Andalucía president Juan Manuel Moreno Bonilla, Mayor of Málaga Francisco de la Torre Prados,...

Una historia de amor en forma de 8. © Morena Films

La película 8, dirigida por Julio Medem (Lucía y el sexo), se proyectará fuera de concurso en la Sección oficial del 28 Festival de Málaga, que tendrá lugar del 14 al 23 de marzo.

8 retrata cómo, a lo largo de 90 años, las vidas de Octavio y Adela se entrelazan en forma de 8, a través de intensos encuentros y desencuentros. Una historia de amor contada en ocho planos secuencia con ocho periodos decisivos de la historia reciente de España como telón de fondo.

La película está encabezada por Ana Rujas (La Mesías) y Javier Rey (La última noche en Tremor). Completan el reparto Álvaro Morte, Tamar Novas, Loreto Mauleón, Carla Díaz, María Isasi, Mateo Medina, Oriol Riera, Asier Burguete, Patxi Barco, Kandido Uranga, Javier Morgade y Andoni Agirregomezkorta.

En palabras del director, Julio Medem: «Desde el inicio, 8 lanza una propuesta cinematográfica, de lenguaje, que encuentra su estilo en la osadía,...

“Artificial justice” is a Prime Video movie directed by Simón Casal starring Verónica Echegui and Alberto Ammann. With Alba Galocha, Tamar Novas, and Lúcia Moniz.

“Artificial justice” explores a science fiction concept that is already being seriously considered in the legal arena: the use of artificial intelligence systems to streamline and make judicial processes more efficient.

Beyond this intriguing premise, the film unfolds an engaging conspiracy thriller, with a compelling storyline and a captivating main character.

With a premise that’s more than just intriguing, it successfully develops a suspenseful and easily watchable narrative.

Plot

The Spanish Government authorizes the use of Artificial Intelligence in the judicial system. A private company is tasked with developing the AI, and a judge is called upon to test the system.

About the Movie

Upon seeing the premise, one might fear the obvious: that the strength of the premise might overshadow the dramatic development of the film.

Artificial intelligence (AI) has been all the rage, and a reason to start raging about their impact for some, in Hollywood. So it was no surprise that Iberseries & Platino Industria put new technologies, led by AI, but also digital doubles, center stage on its fourth and final day.

The big event for Spanish- and Portuguese-language content in Madrid, Spain featured a session with experts to explore opportunities and risks. The panelists were Clara Ruipérez, director of legal strategy for content, brands and digital transformation at Telefonica, Ignacio Lacosta, founder of XReality Studios, Undersecretary of Culture Carmen Páez, Óscar Olarte, co-founder & CEO of Mr Factory, and Curro Royo, screenwriter (HBO/Max Spain series Like Water for Chocolate) and vp of Dama, which manages the remuneration rights for audiovisual creators in Spain.

“This technology leaves creators behind,” warned Royo. “The monster has been fed with our work,” and “it has come to stay.

Would you rather be judged in court by a human or by artificial intelligence? That was one key question in focus on Wednesday night at the Iberseries & Platino Industria conference and market in Madrid.

Platino Educa, the educational platform of the event, screened the new film Artificial Justice (Justicia Artificial) from Spain and Portugal. Written and directed by Simón Casal, it stars Verónica Echegui, Tamar Novas, Alba Galocha and Alberto Ammann.

“In the near future, the government aims to replace judges with artificial intelligence software, pledging to effectively automate and depoliticize the justice system,” explains a synopsis. “Carmen Costa, a distinguished judge, has been invited to assess this new procedure. However, when the software’s creator is found dead, she realizes her life is in danger and that she will have to fight the powerful interests that are at play in the highest echelons of the state.”

The audience gave...

The movie is set in a dystopian Spain under a totalitarian regime, where Mia and her husband Nico attempt to escape. Mia and Nico get separated, and Mia gives birth to her baby, Noa, while adrift in the ocean. Mia and Noa are eventually rescued by an Irish family, while Nico's fate remains uncertain. Mia's survival is an allegory for Christian themes of hope and miracles.

The ending of the Nowhere movie sees Mia and Noa rescued by a boat near Ireland, but how did they get there, what happened to Nico, and how did they survive the crazy events on their floating shipping container? Nowhere (2023) is a Spanish survival thriller from Netflix directed by Albert Pint, starring Anna Castillo as Mia and Tamar Novas as Nico.

After a totalitarian regime takes over Spain, conditions for the civilians deteriorate. Essential resources become scarce, people are required to stay locked in their homes all day,...

Netflix's Gangs of Galicia (Clanes) is a critically acclaimed Spanish-language TV show that has gained popularity among viewers. The show's intense plot blends a forbidden love story and vengeance, and is based on a real-life police operation that occurred in Spain in the early 1990s. The impressive cast, including Clara Lago, Tamar Novas, Xos A. Tourin, Melania Cruz, Miguel de Lira, and Francesc Garrido, has contributed to the show's success in bringing Jorge Guerricaechevarria's story to life.

Netflixs Gangs of Galicia (Clanes) is one of the best Spanish-language TV shows on the streaming platform. Recently, Netflix has invested in several Spanish TV shows, including The Asunta Case and Bandidos, that have not only been popular with viewers but are also critically acclaimed. Gangs of Galicia features an intense plot that perfectly blends a forbidden love story and vengeance.

Gangs of Galicia is a fictionalized portrayal of a real-life...

The new Spanish Netflix original titled Gangs of Galicia is about the mafia families and their rivalries in the titular city. The seven episode miniseries covers the story of a woman seeking revenge after her father was killed. She finally learned her father kept her and her mother away from a dangerous secret. The daughter, however, plans to confront her father’s past and seek retribution.

Spoilers Ahead

Ana

Ana, portrayed by Clara Lago in Gangs of Galicia, is a typical daughter who has a doting father. Ana is a lawyer by profession and a successful one who has had a steady relationship with her parents. To her shock, her father is killed out of nowhere, and after his death, a Pandora’s box of full secrets opens, only to devastate her and her mother further. They learn of their father being in a witness protection program and the fact...

La mente humana vs la inteligencia artificial. © AContracorrienteFilms

Se ha publicado el primer tráiler de la película española “Justicia Artificial”, un thriller político, con referencias al cine negro, ambientado en un futuro cercano que plantea el dilema moral entre la mente humana versus la inteligencia artificial, en el ámbito de la administración de justicia.

En “Justicia Artificial”, el gobierno español anuncia un referéndum para aprobar la introducción de un sistema de Inteligencia Artificial en la Administración de Justicia. El sistema promete automatizar y despolitizar la justicia sustituyendo, en la práctica, a todos los jueces y juezas del país. El referéndum desata una encarnizada campaña electoral en la que se enfrentan dos bandos: el Gobierno en alianza con la tecnológica creadora del sistema, y el Poder Judicial, que defiende el carácter exclusivamente humano de la justicia.

La película, dirigida por Simón Casal (“Lobos Sucios”), que coescribe junto a Víctor Sierra (“La...

Gangs of Galicia (Clanes) is a Spanish crime drama series directed by Roger Gual from a screenplay by Jorge Guerricaechevarría. The Netflix series is based on true events and it follows the story of Ana, a successful lawyer as he moves to the small town of Cambados in Galicia where she gets involved with Daniel, the son of a dangerous drug trafficker and the leader of the Padín clan. Gangs of Galicia stars Clara Lago and Tamar Novas in the lead roles with Chechu Salgado, Xosé A. Touriñán, Melania Cruz, Francesc Garrido, Miguel de Lira, and Diego Anido starring in supporting roles. So, if you loved the crime thriller and family drama aspect of Gangs of Galicia here are similar shows you could watch next.

Iron Reign (Netflix) Credit – Netflix

Iron Reign is a Spanish crime thriller miniseries directed by Lluis Quiliz from a screenplay by Quilez, Arturo Ruiz Serrano,...

The new Spanish crime drama series released on Netflix, Gangs of Galicia also known as Clanes, is the story of hardened criminals running a drug smuggling business in the Galicia region of Spain. Starring Clara Lago and Tamar Novas in the lead roles, the series is about a woman’s shocking discovery about the secrets of her deceased father’s life and the consequences that follow. Gangs of Galicia relies a bit too much on the plot’s need to convince viewers of its shaky plot points, which does not ultimately work in its favor. Despite having seven episodes, which is one shorter than the usual Netflix norm of eight, the Spanish series feels too stretched and uninteresting at times, making it only a very average watch.

The plot is centered around a lawyer named Ana Soriano, played by Clara Lago, whose skill and determination in her profession have her...

La película supera el ecuador de su rodaje. © Vértice 360

Superado el ecuador del rodaje en Valencia de “Parecido a un Asesinato”, un thriller psicológico basado en la novela homónima de Juan Bolea que aborda los misterios de la conducta humana.

“Parecido a un Asesinato” sigue a Eva, que vive un momento feliz, con una nueva pareja, Nazario, un escritor de éxito, y su hija, Alicia, una adolescente con la que espera congeniar; por fin tiene una familia que le permitirá olvidar el pasado. Pero no será tan fácil. El horror que sufrió con José, su ex marido, un policía posesivo y violento, vuelve para amenazar su paraíso; de nada le servirá esconderse en el refugio de su infancia, nada podrá protegerla. Será un viaje hacia el miedo, hasta un lugar de consecuencias terribles que afectarán a todos. Nada es lo que parece… Todos son testigos de verdades paralelas.

Blanca Suárez...

Conoce todos los detalles de la película basada en la novela homónima de Juan Bolea. © Vértice 360

Hoy, lunes 13 de mayo, ha arrancado en Valencia el rodaje de “Parecido a un Asesinato”, un thriller psicológico basado en la novela homónima de Juan Bolea que aborda los misterios de la conducta humana.

“Parecido a un Asesinato” sigue a Eva, que vive un momento feliz, con una nueva pareja, Nazario, un escritor de éxito, y su hija, Alicia, una adolescente con la que espera congeniar; por fin tiene una familia que le permitirá olvidar el pasado. Pero no será tan fácil. El horror que sufrió con José, su ex marido, un policía posesivo y violento, vuelve para amenazar su paraíso; de nada le servirá esconderse en el refugio de su infancia, nada podrá protegerla. Será un viaje hacia el miedo, hasta un lugar de consecuencias terribles que afectarán a todos. Nada es lo que parece…...

As 2023 hits its final straights, Spain’s “Nowhere,” a mother-baby survival thriller, rates as the most-viewed non-English title – film or series – of 2023, with 77.9 million views. It also ranks as Netflix’s second most-watched non-English movie of all time, currently punching 141.6 million hours, bettered only by Norway’s “Troll.”

“Nowhere” also has legs: No other non-English Netflix movie has punched 1.6 million views on its seventh week of release.

That achievement is all the more remarkable given that “Nowhere” is also the first title by the film’s producer Miguel Ruz and exec producer Jordi Roca at their new Madrid-based production company Rock & Ruz which they launched after the success of their first film together, Mario Casas-starrer “The Paramedic” (“El Practicante”), also on Netflix.

Made for an above-average budget for Spain, based on an original story by Indiana Lista (“Scandinoir”), “Nowhere” is co-written by producers Ruz and Ernest Riera alongside...

Netflix viewing figures might be a mostly meaningless mess, but they're getting a little more transparent. They also provide a fascinating picture of global viewing habits that give us a real-time look at how audiences are responding to the deluge of media being funneled directly into their collective visual cortex.

In an age where streaming has truly upended the movie industry, leaving studios scrambling to catch up with the modern paradigm, getting a look under the hood is always interesting. For instance, nobody liked "The Snowman" when it was released back in 2017, but apparently, we all lapped it up when it hit Netflix this year. What does that say about what we expect from our home entertainment? Has streaming lowered all our standards? Perhaps we were always this way ...

The point is, there's clearly something to be learned in an age where we all have access to viewing metrics in real time.

The character of Nico in Nowhere comes across as a man who is devoted to his family, trying to protect his pregnant wife during times of adversity in their country. His personality is that of an ideal partner that every woman would want. While fleeing the country, he looks out for his wife and guides her safely onto a truck that would escort them to the port, from where they could be transported to another country. Despite having a very short role in the film, the character has been beautifully portrayed by Tamar Novas. He is optimistic, rational, courageous, and full of life. Despite being in such a tense situation, he looks out for his family and comes off as a man of his word. The character is hopeful and aims for a better future with his wife and unborn child, and that is when misfortune befalls the couple, and they are separated.

Coming Next from Spain, a showcase of five series, unspooled at Series Mania on March 21 just after a Spanish series, “Wrong Side of the Tracks” from Mediaset España and Alea Media, had scored 149.6 million watching hours in three weeks on Netflix for Seasons 1 and 2.

That platform connection and power of Spanish series threaded most of the series and much of the commentary at Tuesday’s Next from Spain, supported by Audiiovisual from Spain.

At least in terms of titles now ready to hit the market, there’s little sign as yet of platform pullback in Spain. Rather, it remains a ground zero in the streamer wars.

2023 will see the release of 70 new Spanish scripted series and 27 returning seasons of titles such as “Elite” “Rapa” “30 Coins” and “Veneno,” presenter Irene Jiménez, at Audiovisual 451, told a Next From Spain audience.

Of these new titles, 36% will be produced by linear TV broadcasters,...

Spanish indie production shingle Nadie es Perfecto, producer of Alex de la Iglesia’s hit comedy “Perfectos Desconocidos,” has tapped former Netflix exec Juan Mayne to join the company as it revs up its slate with a slew of new projects.

These include two pics in pre-production: “La navidad en sus manos,” in co-production with Bowfinger and Esto También Pasará, directed by Joaquín Mazón, starring Ernesto Sevilla and with a special collaboration from actor-filmmaker Santiago Segura, who has worked with de la Iglesia and Guillermo del Toro; and “Locomía,” directed by Kike Maillo, starring Jaime Lorente and Alberto Ammann.

Mayne’s 20 plus years of experience in the entertainment industry includes stints at Warner Bros. and Disney before heading the film division of Netflix in Spain. Said Mayne: “I am tremendously excited to begin this new role as an independent producer in a company that has spent two decades telling the best stories,...

Barcelona-based mini studio Filmax has acquired the international rights to Spanish-Portuguese co-production “The Open Body,” a horror story set in the early 20th century and plumbing Galician folk lore. The film marks the feature debut of Spanish director Ángeles Huerta.

Co-produced by Spain’s Ollovivo and Fasten Films, producer of Jorge Dorado’s “Pastor,” and Portugal’s Cinemate, behind Norberto López-Amado’s “3 Caminos,” the film is currently in post-production.

Buyers will have the opportunity to watch a first promo at this year’s Malaga Festival Spanish Screenings, which run March 21-24.

A new genre movie at Malaga, whatever its phase of production, is near bound to be on many buyers radar after Galder Gaztelu-Urrutia’s “The Platform” (“El Hoyo”) was presented at Málaga’s Work In Progress in 2019, where it was acquired by Latido Films.

Sold to Netflix, it became the most watched non English language film in the U.

Netflix and Federation Spain, the Spanish division of Paris and L.A.-based Federation Entertainment, are teaming to produce “Las niñas de cristal,” a psychological drama set against the world of classical ballet that toplines “Money Heist” and “Elite” star Maria Pedraza.

The movie is one highlight in Netflix’s first announcement of a production-distribution slate focused entirely on Spanish original movies. The eight titles it profiles that are moving into production or set for release in 2021 and 2022 are a sign of Netflix ramping up its production of Spanish movies as part of its bet on Spanish scripted TV and movies, with Spain punching above its weight in the number of Netflix originals compared to Spanish subscribers. The Netflix slate highlights:

“Las niñas de cristal”

Alison Parker in “Money Heist” and Guzmán’s fated sister Marina in “Elite,” in “Las niñas de cristal” Pedraza plays Irene, a classical ballet dancer...

In today’s Global Bulletin, U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson appoints Richard Sharp as next BBC chair; the BBC ramps up educational programming in response to British school closures; Netflix announces a new original feature in Spain; Naked hires Natalie McArdle as director of development; and Big Light Productions announces 2021 apprenticeship winner.

Appointment

Former Goldman Sachs banker Richard Sharp has been selected by Prime Minister Boris Johnson as the next BBC chairman, succeeding Sir David Clementi. U.K. Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden confirmed the appointment on Wednesday.

Sharp’s appointment arrives at a contentious time for the public broadcaster, which is currently embroiled in fractious debates about license fees and facing unprecedented competition from commercial rivals, both domestic and abroad.

While at Goldman Sachs, Sharp was the boss of Rishi Sunak, current U.K. Chancellor of the Exchequer. Sharp has also acted as an informal adviser to Sunak since...

'The Mess You Leave Behind' trailer is out now.

Netflix has released the official trailer for the upcoming thriller series 'The Mess You Leave Behind' and it looks terrifying.

Based on the novel of the same, the series follows the story of Raquel (played by Inma Cuesta), a young literature teacher, who moves to her husband's town, which hides a dark secret she will try to uncover.

Netflix's official synopsis for the series is as follows: "A teacher starts her job at a high school but is haunted by a suspicious death that occurred there weeks before… and begins fearing for her own life."

Created by Carlos Montero, the series also stars Roberto Enriquez, Barbara Lennie, Tamar Novas and Aron Piper in key roles.

'The Mess You Leave Behind' comes to Netflix on December 11.

https://youtu.be/_hUsbE6xAEY...

"This is real, right?" Netflix has debuted an official trailer for the indie drama Elisa & Marcela, a Spanish drama that premiered at the Berlin Film Festival earlier this year. This B&W lesbian romance is set in 1901, telling the story of two women who marry (with one of them posing as a man to pull it off) fifteen years after first falling in love. Greta Fernández co-stars as Marcela Gracia Ibeas, who takes on the identity of Mario Sánchez, in to marry her lover, Elisa Sanchez Loriga, played by Natalia de Molina. The cast includes Sara Casanovas, Tamar Novas, María Pujalte, and Francesc Orella. This received some awful reviews out of Berlinale, saying it's a "plodding, protracted melodrama where provincial folk speak, behave and act like their 21st century counterparts." As stylistic and passionate as it may seem, this sounds like a film to avoid. Here's the first official trailer (+ poster...

In 1901 Spain, Marcela Gracia Ibeas took on the identity of Mario Sánchez to marry her lover of fifteen years, Elisa Sanchez Loriga. The couple was later discovered and had to escape to Argentina. The wedding, according to the Diocesan Archive, is still valid, as neither the Church nor the civil registry annulled the marriage certificates, so this is the first recorded same-sex marriage in Spain, 100 years before it was declared legal in 2005; although, in the Middle Ages, a same-sex marriage between the two men Pedro Díaz and Muño Vandilaz in the Galician municipality of Rairiz de Veiga in Spain was recorded on 16 April 1061…

By José Sellier — Foto publicada en La Voz de Galicia en 1901-Via http://www.20minutos.es/museo-virtual/foto/2259/rank/4/, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=2256437

The two worked as teachers at a time when the vast majority of the Galician population was illiterate.

On the surface, “Elisa & Marcela” may look like a lesbian love story for the ages, a salute to our brave foremothers who risked ridicule and imprisonment to express their love. If only it were so essential. Instead, Isabel Coixet’s tired romanticized biopic of two Spanish women who tricked a priest into marrying them in 1901 is a dully made, frequently ridiculous eye-roller shot in standard issue black-and-white that gussies itself up as a brave clarion call for gay rights. Slapdash in construction and lacking any three-dimensionality, the film will get peddled to Lgbt viewers who thankfully have far better options, especially from Netflix.

In 1898, Marcela (Greta Fernández) begins attending a convent school in her home city of A Coruña. On the first day, she has a meet-cute with third-year student Elisa (Natalia de Molina), living at the convent with her aunt, the school’s director, and a friendship based on support and attraction rapidly forms.

New films by Agnieszka Holland, Agnes Varda and Isabel Coixet have been added to the official lineup of the upcoming Berlin Film Festival, along with special screenings of directorial debuts by British actor Chiwetel Ejiofor and “Narcos” star Wagner Moura of Brazil.

The Berlinale added 11 titles to its competition slate Thursday, representing countries such as China, Norway, Mongolia and Israel. Of the 18 competition titles selected so far, eight are directed by women, including festival opener “The Kindness of Strangers,” by Danish director Lone Scherfig.

Holland’s eagerly anticipated “Mr. Jones,” starring James Norton and Vanessa Kirby, will have its world premiere in Potsdamer Platz. The politically charged film centers on the real-life Welsh journalist Gareth Jones (Norton), whose reporting uncovered a deadly famine in Ukraine in the 1930s.

Another famine-themed film heading to Berlin is Ejiofor’s “The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind,” which was recently acquired by Netflix and...

The Berlin Film Festival has added movies by Agnès Varda, Agnieszka Holland, Hans Petter Moland, Isabel Coixet and Wang Quan’an to its competition programme. Chiwetel Ejiofor’s directorial debut The Boy Who Harnessed The Wind will play in the Berlinale Special strand. Scroll down for the full list of additions to the batch of films already announced for the competition.

Coixet’s (The Bookshop) black-and-white feature Elisa & Marcela, the true-story of two women who got married in Spain in 1901 after one adopted a male identity, will likely receive an extra dose of media attention given that it is a Netflix acquisition, marking the streaming giant’s first film to screen in competition in Berlin. Festival director Dieter Kosslick has previously said that competition films must have a theatrical release.

Among other highlights announced today are James Norton and Vanessa Kirby starrer Mr. Jones from Polish director Agnieszka Holland and Italian mafia pic Piranhas,...

Elisa & Marcela

Spanish director Isabel Coixet turns to Netflix for her latest feature, Elisa & Marcela, a recuperation of queer history in its examination of the first ever recorded marriage between two women in 1901. Produced by Jose Carmona and Zaza Caballos through Rodar y Rodar, Zenit TV and La Nube Peliculas. Cinematographer Jennifer Cox lensed the feature, serving as her first narrative feature. Celebrated Spanish actress Natalia de Molina and Greta Fernandez with a supporting cast consisting of Tamar Novas, Sara Casasnovas, María Pujalte, Francesc Orella, Lluís Homar, Jorge Suquet and Manolo Solo.…...

'The Sea Inside': Javier Bardem and director Alejandro Amenábar. 'The Sea Inside': Outstanding supporting cast help to lift flawed Right to Die drama Alejandro Amenábar's The Sea Inside often verges on melodrama, featuring as its centerpiece a showy performance by Javier Bardem as a tetraplegic man eager to end his life “with dignity.” Its not inconsiderable flaws notwithstanding – including a simplistic “right to die” debate – this real-life-inspired drama is in and of itself both compelling and touching enough to merit a look; but what makes The Sea Inside a must-see are the superb performances of those in Bardem's periphery. The story revolves around Ramón Sampedro (Javier Bardem), a middle-aged man who has been bed-ridden and dependent on the care of others since a diving accident in his early 20s. (Hence the original Spanish title “Into the Sea.”) Yearning for freedom from his mostly immobile body,...

Mar Adentro / The Sea Inside (2004) Direction: Alejandro Amenábar Screenplay: Alejandro Amenábar and Mateo Gil Cast: Javier Bardem, Belén Rueda, Lola Dueñas, Mabel Rivera, Celso Bugallo, Joan Dalmau, Tamar Novas, Clara Segura Oscar Movies, European Film Award Movies Recommended with Reservations Javier Bardem, Belén Rueda, The Sea Inside Alejandro Amenábar's The Sea Inside often verges on melodrama and features as its centerpiece Javier Bardem's much too showy performance as tetraplegic man eager to end his life "with dignity." But despite its not inconsiderable flaws, this real-life-inspired drama is both compelling and touching enough to merit a look. The story revolves around Ramón Sampedro (Bardem), a middle-aged man who has been bed-ridden and dependent on the care of others since a diving accident in his early 20s. (Hence the original Spanish title "Into the Sea.") Yearning for freedom from his mostly immobile body, Sampedro hires an attorney (Belén Rueda) to...

Chicago – Very few directors have known how to utilize a star more effectively than the way Pedro Almodovar has turned Penelope Cruz from a gorgeous face into one of our best working actresses. Just the two films she’s made recently with Pedro - “Volver” and the new-to-dvd “Broken Embraces” - would earn her that title. “Broken Embraces” may not be perfect Pedro but sub-par Almodovar is still required viewing for all cineasts.

Blu-Ray Rating: 4.0/5.0

“Broken Embraces” may not be quite the masterpiece that was the director’s “Talk to Her” or “Volver” but it is a far better film than one might think based on its general dismissal during its small theatrical release at the end of 2009, especially in HD. Very few directors have the colorful eye of Almodovar, a man made for 1080p.

Wildly self-referential and genre-hopping, “Broken Embraces” is a confidently directed slice of self-examination through the world of noir,...

By Charles Webb

Pedro Almodovar's latest has the potential to lure viewers in with the promise of the unraveling of a romantic-tragic mystery. And yes, part of the movie is concerned - as many of Almodovar's films are - with passion in its many forms and its unintended consequences. But the filmmaker's true interest this time out appears to be in reconstruction and rebuilding the past. And it is in exploring this theme that the filmmaker elevates the movie to a masterwork. 

<strong>Broken Embraces</strong> stars Lluís Homar as a blind screenwriter named Harry Caine who was once a sighted director named Mateo Blanco.  Those of you guessing the change has something to do with a beauty named Lena (Penélope Cruz) have been thankfully paying attention. In the present, Harry/Mateo is fairly content with his life, doted upon by his fiercely protective agent, Judit (Blanca Portillo) and her son Diego (Tamar Novas).

Then,...

Penelope Cruz and Lluis Homar in Broken Embraces

Photo: Sony Pictures Classics Earlier this year I did myself a favor and invested some time in the most recent work from director Pedro Almodovar. I missed the bus on the acclaimed director's work to this point (outside of Bad Education) and wanted to remedy the situation somewhat. Of those I watched I was completely floored by Volver to the point I will most likely never watch another Almodovar film the same way as they all now have something to aspire to. Broken Embraces doesn't live up to that 2006 film, but it still contains a magical touch only Almodovar currently seems to be bringing to his features.

This isn't to say Broken Embraces is otherworldly like Volver, but it has a mystical style to it as a 14-year-old story is brought back to life as a film director left blind from a...

Pedro Almodóvar dazzles again.

Penélope Cruz in "Broken Embraces"

Photo: Universal

Lena, Mateo and Ernesto are caught up in a vintage film-noir triangle. Lena (Penélope Cruz) is a willful beauty with a lurid secret. She lives in luxury with the much-older Ernesto (José Luis Gómez), a wealthy Madrid businessman, but is falling under the spell of Mateo (Lluís Homar), a celebrated movie director, who has cast her in his latest picture. Ernesto, possessive and ruthless, has arranged to become the film's producer, and has assigned his unstable son (Rubén Ochandiano) to shoot a video documentary about the making of it — footage that allows Ernesto, back in his mansion in Lena's increasing absences, to track her deepening relationship with Mateo.

Pedro Almodóvar's "Broken Embraces" is a rapt essay in film-noir atmosphere — the classic black-and-white fog of desperation, treachery and impending disaster — which has been translated here in carefully calibrated color.

Pedro Almodóvar’s noirish (in color) Broken Embraces, which was screened in competition at this year’s Cannes Film Festival, opens in New York City on November 20 and in Los Angeles on December 11. Broken Embraces star several Almodóvar alumni: Muse Penélope Cruz (a potential Oscar 2010 contender in the best actress category), Lluís Homar of Bad Education, Blanca Portillo and Lola Dueñas of Volver, Rossy de Palma of Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown, and Chuz Lampeavre of just about everything Almodóvar has ever directed. Also: Rubén Ochandiano (of Che), Tamar Novas (of The Sea Inside), Carlos Leal (of Chef’s Special), and José Luis Gómez (of Goya’s Ghosts). Broken Embraces Trailer. Photos: © Emilio Pereda & Paola Ardizzoni / El Deseo, [...]...

See new clips from Sony Pictures Classics "Broken Embraces," starring Penélope Cruz, Lluís Homar, Blanca Portillo, José Luis Gómez, Tamar Novas and Rubén Ochandiano. Pedro Almodóvar directs and writes the drama thriller. A man writes, lives and loves in darkness. Fourteen years before, he was in a brutal car crash on the island of Lanzarote. In the accident, he not only lost his sight, he also lost Lena, the love of his life. This man uses two names: Harry Caine, a playful pseudonym with which he signs his literary works, stories and scripts, and Mateo Blanco, his real name, with which he lives and signs the film he directs. After the accident, Mateo Blanco reduces himself to his pseudonym, Harry Caine. If he can’t direct films he can only survive with the idea that Mateo Blanco...

Sony Pictures Classic has released domestic trailer for Pedro Almodovar’s latest film “Broken Embraces” (”Los abrazos rotos“).

“Broken Embraces” synopsis: A man writes, lives and loves in darkness. Fourteen years before, he was in a brutal car crash on the island of Lanzarote. In the accident, he not only lost his sight, he also lost Lena, the love of his life.

This man uses two names: Harry Caine, a playful pseudonym with which he signs his literary works, stories and scripts, and Mateo Blanco, his real name, with which he lives and signs the film he directs. After the accident, Mateo Blanco reduces himself to his pseudonym, Harry Caine. If he can’t direct films he can only survive with the idea that Mateo Blanco died on Lanzarote with his beloved Lena. In the present day, Harry Caine lives thanks to the scripts he writes and to the help...

See the official one-Sheet for Sony Pictures Classics' "Broken Embraces" (a.k.a. "Los abrazos rotos"), starring Penélope Cruz, Lluís Homar, Blanca Portillo, José Luis Gómez, Tamar Novas and Rubén Ochandiano. Pedro Almodóvar directs and writes the film which opens in New York on November 20th, 2009 and in Los Angeles on December 11th. A man writes, lives and loves in darkness. Fourteen years before, he was in a brutal car crash on the island of Lanzarote. In the accident, he not only lost his sight, he also lost Lena, the love of his life. This man uses two names: Harry Caine, a playful pseudonym with which he signs his literary works, stories and scripts, and Mateo Blanco, his real name, with which he lives and signs the film he directs...