Netflix Boards Film Adaptation of Cesc Gay’s Award-Winning Theatre Play “53 Domingos”

Posted on April 20, 2024 by Tom Castaneda

It’s Sundays fun days for Cesc Gay.

Netflix has boarded a big screen adaptation of the 57-year-old Spanish film screenwriter and film director’s award-winning theatre play 53 Domingos, which he’ll direct.

The drama, exploring family relationships, follows three brothers who meet to discuss what to do with their octogenarian father, who has started showing strange behavior.

As they discuss whether to move him to a nursing home, or into one of their homes, the initially civilized family discussion degenerates into an unexpected and hilarious fight.

The cast includes Carmen Machi, Javier Cámara and Javier Gutierrez.

Gay’s previous credits include international breakout Truman, the choral film Stories Not To Be Told and the television drama Félix.

The Netflix announcement rounds out a trio of Spanish feature productions unveiled by the streamer this week.

The previously announced titles span alongside political thriller Un Fantasma en la Batalla, produced by Society of Snow filmmaker J.A. Bayona, and investigative drama La Desconocida, written by journalist and author Rosa Montero.

The latter revolves around an investigation into the identity of woman found in a container located in the Barcelona docks, with no memory of who she is or how she got there.

Cesc Gay’s Spanish Comedy “Sentimental” is Getting a Swiss Remake

Posted on March 5, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

One of Cesc Gay’s hit films is getting a re-do…

The 55-year-old Spanish film screenwriter and film director’s Goya Awards-nominated film Sentimental will be getting a remake.

Euro distributor and producer Ascot Elite Entertainment has secured the Swiss remake rights to the successful Spanish comedy, which is also known as The People Upstairs.

The film will feature all German-speaking parts of Europe from Filmax and be known as Die Nachbarn Von Oben, which translates to The People Upstairs.

Written and directed by Gay, the 2020 Spanish original starred Belén Cuesta and Javier Cámara as a couple who spend most of their time arguing decide to invite their upstairs neighbors for dinner despite their differences. As the night goes on, various secrets about the couple come to light.

The Spanish original was nominated for five Goya Award, including Best Film, Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Actor. It earned Alberto San Juan the Best Supporting Actor award.

Sabine Boss will direct the film, and will feature Swiss stars Sarah Spale, Max Simonischek, Ursina Lardi and Roeland Wiesnekker in the cast.

The film will be produced by Ascot Elite’s Karin G. Dietrich (CEO), Ralph S. Dietrich (CEO), Stephan Giger (CEO) and Roger Kaufmann (producer). Ascot Elite plans a theatrical release for Switzerland in early 2023.

A German remake produced by Ascot Elite Entertainment is also in the works.

Sabine Boss said: “In this gripping comedy, the situation threatens to escalate when Anna and Thomas have the upstairs neighbors over for dinner and they make them a surprisingly permissive offer. The night becomes a moment of truth – which threatens to tear the couple apart.”

Stephan Giger, CEO of Ascot Elite Entertainment added: “This is an amusing social comedy with a top-class acting ensemble where many will recognize, or rather catch, themselves in the characters and patterns. It is also a great opportunity to position Ascot Elite Entertainment as an ambitious production company and we are very looking forward to finally start shooting the movie.”

Nuria Roca to Appear in TNT’s Spanish Original Docu Series “Road Trip” with Esty Quesada

Posted on September 2, 2019 by Tom Castaneda

Nuria Rocais hittin’ the highway…

TNT is hitting the highways and byways of the United States in its latest Spanish original series,“Road Trip,” featuring the 47-year-old Spanish writer, TV presenter and actress.

Produced by Atresmedia Studios,the factual show will accompany Roca and Esty Quesada as odd-couple celebrities on a car trip that begins in Miami, where Roca, a popular TV host, and Quesada, who rose to fame with her provocative YouTubeshow Soy una pringada, will first get to know each other. As they set off to explore the U.S., they will share their views of the people and places they encounter and their own personal journeys of self-exploration.

“I don’t know Esty, I don’t know this kind of format, I don’t know Miami, I don’t know the East Coast of the U.S.,” Roca said. “I’m dying to embark on this story and see where it takes me. It’s a great opportunity for the viewer to see us as we are, without a script, in a borderline situation. Not only will it be a road trip, I am convinced that it will be an intense emotional journey.”

Quesada, who enjoys a large online following and popularity among younger viewers, likened the show to a “Thelma and Louise” adventure, adding that it would be an exciting and emotional journey in which the two stars “will soak up the Yankeeessence.”

Road Trip, which is set to begin shooting in the coming days, follows TNT’s hit political comedy Vote For Juan, starring Javier Cámara, which launched earlier this year and likewise features Quesada.

“It is a format that has a lot of adventure and that is precisely what makes it so attractive,” said Guillermo Farré, TNT’s director of content. “At TNT we like to explore new territories,” he added, noting that TNT did precisely that with Vote For Juanand would continue to do so in upcoming original productions currently in development.

“In Road Tripit’s a luxury to have both Nuria Roca and Esty Quesada as they each, in their own way, reflect very well the spirit of our brand,” Farré said.

Road Trip, which will comprise five episodes, is set to premiere on TNT in early 2020. It marks the latest production and second factual series from the rapidly building Atresmedia Studios, launched by Spanish broadcast network Atresmedia, which produced the original La Casa de Papel, to create and sell content for third-party platforms and operators. Its latest scripted show, period romantic drama La Templanza, a Prime Original series for Amazon Prime Video, marks one of the biggest of upcoming series from Spain.

Almodóvar to Serve as Jury President at This Year’s Cannes Film Festival

Posted on February 1, 2017 by Tom Castaneda

Pedro Almodóvar is taking a special role at this year’s Cannes Film Festival…

The 67-year-old Spanish film director, screenwriter, producer has been named the next President of the Jury for the 70^th edition of the festival in May.

“I am very happy to be able to celebrate Cannes Film Festival[‘s] 70^th anniversary from such a privileged position,” said Almodóvar in a statement. “I am grateful, honoured and bit overwhelmed. I am aware of the responsibility that entails being the president of the jury and I hope to be up to the job. I can only tell that I’ll devote myself, body and soul to this task, that it is both a privilege and a pleasure.”

Almodóvar has a film career that spans across 35 years and his 20 films range from From Pepi, Luci, Born to La Mancha to last year’s Julieta.

He’s worked with a range of actors including Penélope Cruz, Marisa Paredes, Antonio Banderas, Rossy de Palma, Javier Bardem, Javier Cámara, Carmen Maura and Victoria Abril.

Five of his films – All About My Mother, Volver, Broken Embraces, The Skin I Live In and Julieta – have been selected In Competition in Cannes. Bad Education opened the fest in 2004 while the director himself featured on the poster of the 60^th festival.

“For its 70^th edition, the Festival de Cannes is delighted to welcome a unique and hugely popular artist,” said the President of the Festival, Pierre Lescure and Delegate-General Thierry Frémaux. “A long and loyal friendship binds Pedor Almodóvar to the festival, where he was member of the jury under the presidency of Gérard Depardieu.”

The Cannes Film Festival runs May 17-28.

FilmRise Acquires U.S. Distribution Rights to Darin’s “Truman”

Posted on July 7, 2016 by Tom Castaneda

Ricardo Darín’s Goya Award-winning performance will reach American audiences.

FilmRise has acquired U.S. distribution rights to Truman, the Cesc Gay-helmed film starring the 59-year-old Argentine actor.

The Spanish-Argentinean comedic drama earned five Goya Awards this year, including Best Film and Best Actor for Darín’s performance.

Truman, which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival, explores the intimacy and tenderness of a lifelong friendship headed towards its imminent end. Diagnosed with terminal cancer, Julián (Darín) has decided to forgo treatment, and spend his final days tying up loose ends. When childhood friend Tomás (Javier Cámara) pays his ailing friend an unexpected visit, he quickly realizes he won’t be able to change his mind. In what will be their final reunion, the two friends set out to finalize Julián’s funeral arrangements, settle his accounts and find a home for his beloved dog Truman.

Truman will debut in U.S. theaters in winter 2017.

Camara Wins Best Actor Award at San Sebastian Film Festival

Posted on September 27, 2015 by Tom Castaneda

Javier Camara is having a Shell of an awards season…

The 48-year-old Spanish actor picked up the Silver Shell for Best Actor at the San Sebastian Film Festival, alongside co-winner Ricardo Darin.

Camara and Darin won the double Silver Shell for their starring roles in Cesc Gay’s Truman, which was the most-applauded prize of the evening.

The film centers on Tomás (Camara), who returns to his hometown Madrid in order to convince his childhood friend Julian (Darin), whom he hasn’t spoken to in years, to continue his chemotherapy treatment.

Darin, a favorite at San Sebastian, quoted a tweet about the film that said, in Spanish: “at 23 I went to see a film about death and I think I learned everything about life.”

Meanwhile, Yordanka Ariosa took home the Silver Shell for Best Actress for her performance in The King of Havana, Agusti Villaronga‘s adaptation of the Pedro Juan Gutierrez novel.

It was a surprise win for the previously unknown Ariosa, who beat out Freeheld´s Oscar-tipped powerhouse Julianne Moore and Ellen Page.

In addition to the official awards, San Sebastian offered coveted cash prizes for competitions from many of the sidebars.

Argentinean filmmaker Santiago Mitre’s Paulina won the €35,000 cash prize that goes with the Horizontes Award for Latin American films.

Spanish filmmaker Asier Altuna’s Amama won the Irizar Basque Film Award with €20,000, given to a film with 20 percent financing from the local region.

Brazilian director Eliane Caffe’s The Cambridge Squatter won the Films in Progress top prize, which awards post-production financing to a nearly finished film, in addition to a spot at the festival next year.

Cámara to Star in Paolo Sorrentino’s Eight-Episode Series “The Young Pope”

Posted on August 5, 2015 by Tom Castaneda

Javier Cámara is getting his Masters…

The 48-year-old Spanish actor has been cast in Paolo Sorrentino’s The Young Pope.

Starring Jude Law and Diane Keaton, the eight-episode series that tells the fictional story of the beginning of the Pontificate of Pius XIII, an Italian-American born Lenny Belardo.

Law is Pius XIII/Lenny with Keaton as Sister Mary, a nun from the U.S. The plot centers on the controversial story of the beginning of Pius’ Pontificate. A complex and conflicted character, he is a man of great power who’s stubbornly resistant to the Vatican courtiers, unconcerned with the implications on his authority.

Cámara, who starred in the Pedro Almodóvar films Talk to Her and Bad Education, is set to play Cardinal Gutierrez, Vatican City Master of Ceremonies.

Other cast members include James Cromwell as Cardinal Michael Spencer, Silvio Orlando (The Caiman) as Secretary of State Cardinal Voiello, Scott Shepherd (And So It Goes) as Cardinal Dussolier and Belgian actress Cécile de France (The Kid With A Bike) as Sofia, who is in charge of marketing in Vatican City.

Swimming Pool‘s Ludivine Sagnier is Esther, the wife of a Swiss guard; and Toni Bertorelli (Passion Of The Christ) has been cast as Cardinal Caltanissetta.

Sorrentino, who won the Foreign Language Oscar for The Greaty Beauty and helmed this year’s Cannes Film Festival entry Youth, is directing all eight episodes of The Young Pope.

Sorrentino says the series will cover “The clear signs of God’s existence. The clear signs of God’s absence. How faith can be searched for and lost. The greatness of holiness, so great as to be unbearable when you are fighting temptations and when all you can do is to yield to them. The inner struggle between the huge responsibility of the Head of the Catholic Church and the miseries of the simple man that fate (or the Holy Spirit) chose as Pontiff. Finally, how to handle and manipulate power in a state whose dogma and moral imperative is the renunciation of power and selfless love towards one’s neighbor.”

Additional cast members include: Guy Boyd, Andre Gregory, Sebastian Roché, Marcello Romolo, Ignazio Oliva, Vladimir Bibic and Nadie Kammalaweera.

Production on the Sky, HBO and Canal Plus drama began last week with the full cast now set.

Almodóvar’s “I’m So Excited” to Open in New York & LA on June 28

Posted on February 7, 2013 by Tom Castaneda

It looks like Pedro Almodóvar’s next film will be taking flight in the country’s two major markets this summer…

Sony Pictures Classics will debut the 63-year-old Spanish filmmaker’s “light, very light comedy” I’m So Excited in New York and Los Angeles on June 28, according to Exhibitor Relations.

Starring Javier Cámara, Cecilia Roth, Lola Dueñas and Raúl Arévalo, I’m So Excited – originally called Los amantes pasajeros – takes place entirely on an airplane.

Almodóvar shared a trailer for the film during retrospective of his work in London last December.

The film includes cameo appearances by Antonio Banderas, Penélope Cruz and Paz Vega.

Almodóvar Shares “I’m So Excited” Trailer at London Tribute

Posted on December 15, 2012 by Tom Castaneda

Pedro Almodóvar is being heralded for his “heart as big as the Grand Canyon”…

The 63-year-old Spanish filmmaker was honored at an Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences retrospective of Almodóvar’s work in London, which was attended by celebrities like Grace Jones, Kristen Scott Thomas and Miranda Richardson.

During the high-profile event, Almodóvar brother Agustin, Jean-Paul Gaultier, Stephen Frears and Sally Potter were among the people offering their tributes to the Oscar-winning filmmaker.

Quentin Tarantino even participated in special pre-recorded video to thank Almodóvar for having a “a filmography to beat.” Meanwhile, Frears enthused about Almodóvar’s ability to make everything seem natural.

“He creates a coherent world in which all of the elements fit,” he said. “It comes out of his imagination complete. I met him in New York when I was with My Beautiful Laundrette. I felt like an impostor; here was the transgressive real thing. Mine was a charade.”

A humbled Almodóvar admitted to being embarrassed by all the kind words.

“Tonight I know more about myself than ever,” he joked. “I’ve always strived to try and make life more livable with my films. It’s the homework of any kind of artistic expression. That was the lesson I learned from my mother.”

He even revealed that he’d tried and failed to nab the rights to books like The Hours, Silence of the Lambs, The Human Stain and The Reader, any of which would have been his first foray into English-language film. It’s a bridge he says he’ll likely not attempt to cross again.

“But you have to respect destiny. Perhaps I was not the one to make the movies that I now admire so much.”

And as a delight to the audience, Almodóvar shared a clip from his new film I’m So Excited, which Sony Pictures Classics will release next year. The film, which was originally titled Los Amantes Pasajeros, is the famed director’s return to comedy after a number of dramas like The Skin I Live In and Habla con ella.

The film’s all-star cast includes Javier Cámara, Cecilia Roth, Lola Dueñas, Raul Arévalo, Carlos Areces, Antonio de la Torre, Hugo Silva, Willy Toledo, Miguel Ángel Silvestre, Blanca Suárez, José Luis Torrijo, José María Yazpik and Laya Martí, with special collaborations from Penélope Cruz, Antonio Banderas and Paz Vega.

Sony Pictures Classics Acquires the Rights to Almodóvar’s Next Film

Posted on June 20, 2012 by Tom Castaneda

The anticipation is definitely building for Pedro Almodóvar’s next film, even though production hasn’t even started on the project…

Sony Pictures Classics announced Tuesday that they have acquired all North American rights to Almodóvar’s new comedy currently titled I’m So Excited from El Deseo.

The film, an ensemble comedy written and directed by Almodóvar, is set to begin production in July and will be released next summer.

The all-star cast includes Javier Cámara, Cecilia Roth, Lola Dueñas, Raul Arévalo, Carlos Areces, Antonio de la Torre, Hugo Silva, Willy Toledo, Miguel Ángel Silvestre, Blanca Suárez, José Luis Torrijo, José María Yazpik and Laya Martí.

In addition, the film—which was previously known as Los Amantes Pasajeros—will include special collaborations from Penélope Cruz, Antonio Banderas and Paz Vega.

The Sony Pictures Classics team has a long history with Almodóvar that began with Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown at Orion Classics and has continued with seven films at Sony Pictures Classics , including Goya-winning film The Skin I Live In, Broken Embraces, Volver, Bad Education, All About My Mother and Talk to Her.

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