Solas

"Solas" is a wonderful movie with a great plot and great actors.Maria Galiana as an old and rural woman that goes to the city to see her daughter and her illness husband made me cry.Is an special movie with a good screenplay.I'm an andalusian boy and movies always has been unfair with Andalusia.In all those movies,andalusian were funny and stereotyped people of the flolcorical Spain.This movie show us how is the life of very rural women in my country.Also,"Solas" is one of the best movies about the relationship between a mother and her daughter that i've ever seen.As loneliness' portrait ,"Solas" os powerful too.Is a movie that insinuate more than what show it,as all good movies.For all those whose dreams are not come true,this movie show us that the loneliness is not the best way to do.

"Solas" spends its 100 minute run digging deep into the character of Maria (Fernández), an attractive 35 year old brittle pessimist who bears the scars of childhood abuse at the hands of her father, drinks too much, and works as a janitor. A somber, plodding, plaintive character study, "Solas" fleshes out its small ensemble of characters well, illuminating the dark corners of Maria's hopelessness with an unlikely combination of her visiting mother's quiet courage and the friendship of an old man in a neighboring apartment. An award winning film hailed by the critics and an exemplar for American Indie makers, "Solas" will appeal most to more mature audiences into Europix. Those who enjoy this film may want to check out "El Abuelo" (1998). (B)

Nowadays it is not so easy to find a film that hits directly your heart and sentiments. Benito Zambrano gives an opportunity to recover all those sentiments that are well hidden in your subconscious.

Carmona is a small town too close to Seville to have a real identity and is the frame for a difficult and impossible relationship between a daughter, mother and father. Zambrano shows how difficult is to grow up in this outcast and bit farmer town with the leit-motiv of these three characters that join back together due to the father's illness. The father is marked rude and impolite, used to hit the wife or the daughter to show his total dominance and authority. The wife was totally subjected to this situation and the opportunity to find some understanding and heat with their neighbour is accepted with detachment by her. This side relationship with a lonely man brings back love to this sad and destroyed family. The daughter is even worse, alcoholic and in love with a truck driver who does not care of her pregnancy.

The loneliness of the void with a breach of optimism is well expressed in this simple but very effective and straight film.

Rating: 7/10

This is a bold and nice film about a woman on the edge of depression and nervous breakdown and who finally finds a purport in her thunderous life . It deals with a thirty and some year old woman : Ana Fernández who lives in the noisy city by working badly in cleaning jobs . When her mother : Maria Galiana comes to town to care her ill father at hospital , she stays at her home. Both of whom meet a sympathetic elderly neighbour : Carlos Álvarez Novoa who befriend and help them. Things go wrong when Maria is pregnant and her boyfriend wants she aborts.

A thoughtful and sad film about three lost souls attempting to give each other love as well as strength to start over , dealing with poorness , loneliness , abusiveness , desperation and ultimately redemption. It is a pretty good film , though some dowbeat and depressing , however , the final part results to be very sensitive and touching . The cast is frankly excellent , giving terrific interpretations . Ana Fernández is top-notch as the woman who moves to city to find a fateful destination , while Maria Galiana is awesome as the passive and kind mother .Special mention for Carlos Álvarez Novoa as the likeable neighbor who lives as a recluse and whose only company is his dog . They are finely accompanied by a good support cast with brief appearances from Juan Fernández as the egoistic boyfriend , Antonio Dechent as a doctor , Paco Tous , Maria Alfonsa Rosso, Mariana Cordero, Rosario Pardo and Cuca Escribano .

The motion picture was compellingly directed by Benito Zambrano and it won various Spanish Goyas . As it was Goya winner : Best supporting actress Maria Galiana , Best New Acress Ana Fernández, Best original screenplay and Best new director Benito Zambrano , Best original score Antonio Meliveo , Best Production Manager Eugenio Santana , Best Sound and Best Film Antonio P. Pérez , Maestranza Films . And Tokyo International Festival winner Best actor award Carlos Alvarez Novoa , Winner Best actress award Maria Galiana , and Turia Awards 2000 Winner Best Spanish film , Best actress Ana Fernandez . Furthermore , other prizes in multiple Festivals as Angers European First Film Festival , Ariel Awards Mexico , Asecan , Argentinean Film Critics Association Awards , Berlin International Film Festival, Bogotá Film Festival , Brussels International Film Festival, Cartagena , Chicago International Festival, Fotogramas De Plata , Cinema Writers Circle Awards Spain , among others . Andalucía-born Benito Zambrano is a good filmmaker who has made a few but prestigious films such as : Habana Blues , La Voz Dormida , Intemperie and this big hit : Solas. Rating :7/10 . Notable . Better than average. Well worth watching . Essential and indispensable seeing .

A very touching movie. During the movie you almost start wondering if there are only sad people around. But even the saddest ones (and they now, because they have had a fight about who the saddest one was) can shift to a better life.