Pedro Almodóvar’s latest short film will be hitting theaters in the United States this fall.
The 73-year-old Spanish Oscar-winning filmmaker’s Strange Way of Life, which had its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival in the spring, will arrive in theaters in New York City and Los Angeles on October 4 thanks to Sony Pictures Classics.
There will be an expansion nationwide on Oct. 6.
The short film, starring Ethan Hawke and Pedro Pascal, will play in theaters alongside Almodóvar’s 2020 short film, The Human Voice, starring Tilda Swinton, which was also distributed by Sony Pictures Classics. Together, the two shorts represent Almodóvar’s only English-language projects to date.
Strange Way of Life follows two gunmen who reunite after many years. In the film, a man rides a horse across the desert that separates him from Bitter Creek. He comes to visit Sheriff Jake. Twenty-five years earlier, both the sheriff and Silva, the rancher who rides out to meet him, worked together as hired gunmen. Silva visits him with the excuse of reuniting with his friend from his youth, and they do indeed celebrate their meeting, but the next morning Sheriff Jake tells him that the reason for his trip is not to go down the memory lane of their old friendship…
Produced by Almodóvar’s El Deseo and presented by Saint Laurentby Anthony Vaccarello, Strange Way of Life, stars Pedro Casablanc, Manu Ríos, George Steane, José Condessa, Jason Fernández and Sara Sálamo. It is produced by Agustín Almodóvar, with Esther García as EP and Bárbara Peiró, Diego Pajuelo, and Saint Laurent byAnthony Vaccarello as associate producers.
The score is composed by four-time Oscar nominee Alberto Iglesias, a regular Almodóvar collaborator who received his most recent Oscar nomination in 2022 for Almodóvar’s Paralell Mothers. All characters are costumed by Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello.
SPC has long-teamed with Almodóvar on a majority of his films, including most recently Parallel Mothers in 2021 and Pain and Glory in 2019. Sony Pictures Classics, which received two Oscar nominations each.
The 61-year-opld will star opposite Jonathan Rhys Meyers and Melissa Leo in the Yale Entertainment action-crime thriller Clean Up Crewfrom director Jon Keeyes.
The Ireland-based production recently wrapped, and Yale’s recently-launched sales banner Great Escape, led by Nick Donnermeyer, will handle foreign rights and introduce the title at next month’s Toronto Film Festival.
The film follows a crime scene clean-up crew, which includes Rhys Meyers and Leo’s characters, who discover a briefcase full of cash, unknowingly sending them into battle with mobsters – led by a ruthless crime boss, played by Banderas, as well as hitmen, and corrupt government agents who are hell bent to get the dough back.
Clean Up Crew was written by Matthew Rogers.
“We’re excited to work with this legendary all-star cast on what will be an edge-of-your seat, action-packed film,” said Levine and Beckerman. “We’re certain that Jon Keeyes will deliver a uniquely thrilling cinematic experience.”
Banderas’ has been a frequent collaborator of award-winning Spanish filmmaker Pedro Almodóvar, and starred in such works as the director’s Pain and Glory. Banderas won the Best Actor award at the Cannes Film Festival for that film, and was nominated for Best Actor at the Oscars.
He will next be seen starring with Penelope Cruz in the Spanish comedy Official Competitionand returns as the voice of Puss in Boots in Dreamworks Animation’s Puss in Boots: The Last Wish.
Next year, he stars in the highly anticipated fifth installment of the Indiana Jones film.
The 61-year-old Spanish Oscar-nominated actor has joined the cast of Banshee, which will also star Jaime King and Tommy Flanagan.
Hailing from director Jon Keeyes, the film follows a freelance assassin, codenamed Banshee (King), who is ambushed by Anthony Greene (Flanagan), a powerful mercenary who killed her father, and who is now seeking to collect a bounty on Caleb (Banderas), her former black ops mentor.
Caleb went underground five years prior, triggering a race against time as Banshee must find and protect Caleb before Greene and his army of hired killers can find him and take him down.
“Banshee is a complex story of revenge and family, and having this incredibly talented cast to bring these characters to life is a dream,” Keeyes said.
“Banshee” is produced by Jordan Yale Levine and Jordan Beckerman of Yale Productions, alongside Keeyes of Highland Myst, from a script by Matthew Rogers, who wrote the trio’s previous movie, The Survivalist.
Shaun Sanghani also serves as a producer on the film.
“We’re excited to have such as amazing cast for this wall-to-wall action movie,” said Yale Levine and Beckerman. “Antonio Banderas is a legend and having him alongside Jaime King and Tommy Flanagan in such a high-energy film is going to keep audiences on the edge of their seats.”
Banderas recently earned an Oscar nomination for his work in Pedro Almodovar’s Pain and Glory and also recently starred in The Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard. Other credits include The Mask of Zorro, Desperado and Evita.
Banderas will next be seen starring in the upcoming Indiana Jones film, Uncharted, and Puss in Boots: The Last Wish.
Diego Luna is being celebrated for his platinum career.
This year’s seventh edition of the Ibero-American Platino Awards (Premios Platinos) will honor the 41-year-old Mexican actor, director, producer and festival organizer with the Platino Award of Honor.
An itinerant award show by design, this year’s Platinos will be held on October 3 in Madrid.
Luna will be the youngest recipient of the career achievement honor, joining previous winners Miguel Rafael Martos Sánchez, often simply referred to as Raphael, one of Spain’s most iconic entertainers of the 20th century; Adriana Barraza, the Oscar nominated Spanish-English-language crossover star of Alejandro Iñárritu’s Babel and Amores Perros; Oscar and three time Primetime Emmy nominee Edward James Olmos (Stand and Deliver); Oscar nominee Antonio Banderas (Pain and Glory); and Primetime Emmy (The Burning Season) and BAFTA (“Dona Flor e Seus Dois Maridos) nominee Sonia Braga.
A child actor who excelled from an early age, Luna’s first film appearance was in Javier Bourges’ 1991 Mexican Academy Award-nominated short The Last New Year.” He appeared in several telenovelas throughout the ‘90s, joined on screen for the first time by his longtime collaborator and close friend Gael García Bernal in El abuelo y yo in 1992. Alternating between film and television over the next decade, his international breakout came with García Bernal and Spain’s Marbel Verdú in Alfonso Cuarón’s seminal coming-of-age road trip film “Y Tu Mamá También.”
Shortly after, Luna began his Hollywood career appearing alongside Bon Jovi in John Carpenter’s Vampires: Los Muertos and in Salma Hayek’s Oscar-winning biopic Frida.
In the decades since, Luna has continued to work on both Latin American and U.S. productions while also taking turns as a producer, writer and director. He also, again with García Bernal, launched the nomadic documentary film festival Ambulante, as well as their own production label, first Canana in 2005 and now La Corriente del Golfo.
Most recently, he created and hosts the Amazon Original conversation series Pan y Circo and is starring in the Disney+’s Andor, a spinoff series following his Rogue One: A Star Wars Story character Cassian Andor.
He was also recently confirmed as a voice actor for Netflix’s upcoming animated series Maya and the Three, where he will team with frequent collaborator Jorge Gutierrez (The Book of Life).
Last year’s ceremony was, like so many, forced online by the COVID-19 pandemic. But this time around, the Platinos are planning an in-person event to celebrate the best offerings from the Spanish, Portuguese and Latin American screen industries.
At 11 nominations each, the two standout titles are Fernando Trueba’s Colombian drama Memories of My Father and Jayro Bustamante’s Guatemalan thriller La Llorona.
The Platino Awards are promoted by EGEDA (Spain’s Entity for the Rights Management of Audiovisual Producers) and FIPCA (the Ibero-American Federation of Film and Audiovisual Producers) and have the support of the Ibero-American film academies and institutes as well as numerous sponsors in Europe and Latin America.
The 60-year-old Oscar-nominated actor will star opposite Kate Bosworth and 2 Chainz in Millennium’s crime thriller The Enforcer.
Richard Hughes is on board as director for the project, which is being sold at the Cannes virtual market.
Written by Peter Iliff, the story follows an enforcer who discovers his femme fatale boss is now engaged in crimes even he wouldn’t commit. This puts a young runaway at risk and the enforcer must now put everything on the line to safe the girl from the crime organization he has spent his life working for.
Banderas is the enforcer while Bosworth is the femme fatale. 2 Chainz is a crime kingpin.
Banderas received an Academy Award nomination for his work in Pedro Almodovar’s Pain and Glory. He’s currently appearing in Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard.
Sony Pictures Classics has acquired all rights in North America, Australia and New Zealand to Parallel Mothers (Madres Paralelas), starring the 46-year-old Spanish Oscar-winning actress.
It’s the 13th collaboration between the distributor and director/producer Pedro Almodóvar’s production company El Deseo.
Production began in Madrid last month on the film, which reunites the Spanish filmmaker with longtime collaborators Cruz, Julieta Serrano and Rossy de Palma.
Parallel Mothers is a drama that centers on three mothers, portrayed by Cruz, Aitana Sánchez Gijón and Milena Smit.
The film expands Almodóvar’s previous depictions of womanhood by turning his focus on imperfect mothers, in a departure from his prior work exploring mothers and motherhood.
Written by Almodóvar, the film also stars Israel Elejalde.
The film is produced by Agustín Almodóvar and Esther García through El Deseo.
Sony Pictures Classics recently released Almodóvar’s short film The Human Voice, starring Tilda Swinton, in theaters alongside a digitally restored re-issue of Woman on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown. It will be available to stream on HBO Max starting on April 30.
Almodóvar won two Oscars for best foreign language film for All About My Mother and original screenplay for his 2002 title Talk to Her (Hable con Ella).
Cruz has starred in several of Almodovar’s films, including All About My Mother, I’m So Excited!, Volver, Broken Embraces, and Pain and Glory.
Pedro Almodovar is thisclose to starting work on his next film…
The 71-year-old Oscar-winning Spanish filmmaker is preparing to head into production on his next movie Parallel Mothers(Madres Paralelas).
The film will star Penelope Cruz alongside the newly-announced Aitana Sánchez-Gijón, Israel Elejalde and Milena Smit.
The film is scheduled to begin filming by the end of March in Spain. Almodovar’s El Deseo is producing.
Almodovar said of the project:
“With Parallel Mothers I return to the female universe, to motherhood, to family. I speak of the importance of ancestors and descendants. The inevitable presence of memory. There are many mothers in my filmography, the ones that are part of this story are very different.
“As a storyteller, imperfect mothers inspire me most at this time. Penélope Cruz, Aitana Sánchez Gijón and the young Milena Smit will play the three mothers in the film, accompanied by Israel Elejalde in the main male character. I also have the collaboration of my beloved Julieta Serrano and Rossy de Palma. Parallel Mothers will be an intense drama. Or so I hope.”
This will be Cruz’s seventh film with Almodovar. She first appeared in Live Flesh in 1997. Her other Almodovar credits includeAll About My Mother, Volver, Broken Embraces, I’m So Excited and Pain and Glory.
Sánchez-Gijón’s previous credits includeA Walk in the Cloudsand The Machinist.
The Spanish filmmaker’s Netflix drama Adú is the frontrunner for this year’s Premios Goya (Goya Awards), Spain’s top film honors.
Calvo’s film earned 14 nominations, including nods for best film and best director.
Calvo’s sophomore feature follows three interconnected stories all set in Africa. Two members of its ensemble cast Álvaro Cervantes and Adam Nourou, picked up Goya nominations for best supporting actor and best newcomer actor, respectively.
The Goyas 2021 best film nominees include Ane Is Missingfrom David Pérez Sañudo, Icíar Bollaín‘s La boda de Rosa, Pilar Palomero‘s The Girls, andThe People Upstairsaka Sentimental, from director Cesc Gay.
In addition to Calvo and Bollaín, the best director category this year includes Juanma Bajo Ulloa, nominated for his horror thriller Baby, and veteran filmmaker Isabel Coixet for It Snows in Benidorm.
Contenders for the best Ibero-American film include Chilean documentary The Mole Agent, Forgotten We’ll Befrom Columbian filmmaker Fernando Trueba, the Guatemalan horror film The Curse of la Llorona, and Fernando Frias‘ Mexican drama I’m No Longer Here.
Last year, Pedro Almodóvar’s semi-autobiographical drama Pain and Glorywas the big winner at the Goyas, winning seven honors, including for best picture, director, original screenplay, and best actor for Antonio Banderas.
The 2021 Goya Awards will be held in a live-streamed ceremony from the Teatro del Soho CaixaBank in Málaga on Saturday, March 6. Banderas will direct this year’s award ceremony and will present the 35th Goya Awards together with Spanish journalist María Casado.
Here’s the full list of nominations for the 35th Goya Awards:
Best Film Adú Ane Is Missing La boda de Rosa The Girls The People Upstairs
Best Director Salvador Calvo for Adú Juanma Bajo Ulloa for Bafrom Icíar Bollain for La boda de Rosa Isabel Coixet for It Snows in Benidorm
Best Novel Adaptation Pilar Palomero for The Girls David Pérez Sañudo for Ane is Missing Bernabé Rico for El inconvenient Núria Giménez Lorang for My Mexican Bretzel
Best Actress Amaia Aberasturi for Coven
Andrea Fandós for The Girls Patricia López Arnaiz for Ane is Missing Candela Peña for La boda de Rosa
Best Actor Mario Casas for Cross the Line Javier Cámara for The People Upstairs Ernesto Alterio for A Normal World David Verdaguer for One for All
Best Supporting Actress Juana Acosta for El inconvenient Verónica Echegui for My Heart Goes Boom! Natalia de Molina for The Girls Nathalie Poza for La boda de Rosa
Best Supporting Actor Sergi López for La boda de Rosa Juan Diego Botto for The Europeans Alberto San Juan for The People Upstairs Álvaro Cervantes for Adú
Best Actress Newcomer Jone Laspiur for Ane is Missing Paula Usero for La boda de Rosa Milena Smith for Cross the Line Griselda Siciliani for The People Upstairs
Best Actor Newcomer Adam Nourou for Adú Chema del Barco for The Plan Janick for Historias lamentables Fernando Valdivielso for Cross the Line
Best Original Screenplay Adu La boda de Rosa Historias lamentables The Girls
Best Adapted Screenplay The People Upstairs Ane is Missing The Europeans Unknown Origins
Best Animated Film Turu, the Wacky Hen
Best Documentary Anatomía de un dandy Drowning Letters The Year of the Discovery My Mexican Bretzel
Best European Film Corpus Christi from Poland The Father from the United Kingdom An Officer and A Spy from France Falling from the United Kingdom
Best Ibero-American Film El agente topo from Chile El olvido que seremos from Colombia La llorona from Guatemala Ya no estoy aquí from México
Best Cinematography Adú Coven Black Beach The Girls
Best Production Design Adú Coven Black Beach It Snows in Benidorm
Best Original Music Adú Coven Baby El verano que vivimos
Best Original Song Adú El verano que vivimos La boda de Rosa The Girls
Best Editing Adú Black Beach The Year of the Discovery The Girls
Best Sound Adú Coven Black Beach The Plan
Best Art Direction Adú Coven Black Beach The Girls
Best Costume Design Coven My Heart Goes Boom! The Girls The Europeans
Best Makeup and Hairdressing Adú Coven My Heart Goes Boom! Unknown Origins
The 46-year-old Oscar-winning Spanish actress will star alongside Luis Tosar in the feature film On The Fringe (En Los Margenes), which will mark the directorial debut of Argentine actor Juan Diego Botto.
The Spanish-language film, told over the course of one day, will follow interweaving stories, including that of a woman (Cruz) who has 24 hours to prevent herself and her family being evicted from their home by a bank intent on repossessing it. Tosar will play a passionate lawyer and activist.
Cruz will produce with Alvaro Longoria of Morena Films after their recent collaboration on Asghar Farhadi’s Everybody Knows.
Botto, who recently starred in the Netflix series White Lines and will next be seen in Warner Bros.’ Suicide Squad, is aiming to shoot the ensemble piece in Spain later this year.
As part of their research, the filmmakers met and interviewed people who have experienced housing repossession.
Cruz said of On The Fringe: “I think Juan has written a great script and has an important story to tell. I’ve always admired his work as an actor and writer and have always known he will do great things as a director.”
Botto commented: “We wanted to reflect how an economic crisis affects personal and emotional relationships; how crises are brewing for those who live on the edge, for those who live on the fringes. We wanted to tell a story about love and solidarity.”
Longoria added: “This grabbing, emotive and optimistic thriller portrays the thousands of people who are, every day, faced with the terrible drama of losing their home.”
Pain And Glory star Cruz starred alongside Tosar in the 2015 drama Ma Ma, which was also produced by Longoria.
The 45-year-old Spanish actress is set to star opposite Antonio Banderas in the Spanish-language feature Competencia Oficial, which is due to get underway in Spain at the end of February.
Veteran Argentine actor Oscar Martínez will also star.
Banderas and Martínez will play actors with very different track records whose methods clash during the preparation for a movie financed by a notorious and over-eager millionaire. Cruz will play the film’s prestigious but eccentric director.
The film is co-written and co-directed by Argentine filmmaking duo Mariano Cohnand Gastón Duprat. Andrés Dupratalso scripted.
Additional cast includes José Luis Gómez, Carlos Hipólito, Koldo Olabarri, Irene Escolar, Nagore Aramburu, Pilar Castro and Juan Grandinetti.
This is the latest project to feature Cruz and Banderas…
They most recently starred in Pedro Almodovar’s Pain and Glory. They’ve also starred in Almodovar’s I’m So Excited.
A release date for Competencia Oficial has yet to be announced.
There will be an expansion nationwide on Oct. 6.
Produced by Almodóvar’s El Deseo and presented by Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello, Strange Way of Life, stars Pedro Casablanc, Manu Ríos, George Steane, José Condessa, Jason Fernández and Sara Sálamo. It is produced by Agustín Almodóvar, with Esther García as EP and Bárbara Peiró, Diego Pajuelo, and Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello as associate producers.
