Spanish thrillers at the FDCP Cinematheque

Instituto Cervantes and the Embassy of Spain, in cooperation with the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP), present the Spanish Thrillers, a series of Spanish movies to be shown every Saturday this month at the FDCP Cinematheque.

The film series will kick off on June 4 at 4 p.m. with Tesis, a disturbing thriller about the depiction of violence by the media. Angela is a university student who is preparing a thesis on media violence. To complement her work, her adviser agrees to search the reserved area of the university library for material, but the next day he is found dead. Released in 1996, the opera prima of Spanish filmmaker Alejandro Amenábar garnered seven Goya Awards (Best Film and Best Script among them), and has become over the years a classic of the genre.

Enrique Urbizu’s La Caja 507 (Box 507) will be the second installment of the film cycle. The movie, to be shown on June 11, 4 p.m., is a gripping thriller with a social message, as well as a prime example of the film quality Spain is known for.

Modesto, an honest and responsible professional, is a manager of a small bank branch in the Costa del Sol. His daughter dies in a forest fire believed to be accidental. Well-directed and acted, La Caja 507 won several awards both in Spain and abroad, and enjoyed a very successful run at film festivals around the world.

Also directed by Urbizu, who has become a master of the genre, is No Habrá Paz Para Los Malvados (No Rest for the Wicked). The film will be shown on June 18, 4 p.m. The film, produced in 2011, tells the story of Santos Trinidad (played by José Coronado), a cop with an outstanding record. An obscure incident, however, ruined his career and turned him into an alcoholic and angry loner. Coronado’s monumental performance rewarded him with several acting awards. Urbizu’s fine directing won him two Goyas as the Best Director and Best Screenplay.

Directed by Jaume Balagueró in 2011, Mientras Duermes (Sleep Tight) will close the film series on June 25, 4 p.m. César works as a doorman in an apartment building in Barcelona. He goes about his day-to-day work mainly unnoticed by the residents of the building yet he pays close attention to them.

He knows all the intimate details of their lives, everything about them and one in particular — Clara, a happy-go-lucky young woman, who always looks at the positive side of things, and whose cheery attitude towards life makes Cesar’s skin crawl. In Clara, he has found the perfect target, and he will go to extreme lengths to make her life miserable.

An artistic and commercial success, Mientras Duermes enjoyed quite a success in film festivals worldwide, receiving more than 30 awards and nominations.

All films will be shown in original version in Spanish with English subtitles. Cinematheque of FDCP is located at 855 T.M. Kalaw Street, Ermita, Manila. Admission is FREE on a first-come, first-served basis. For details, log on to Instituto Cervantes’ website www.manila.cervantes.es or call 526-1482. 

(For your comments, call us through landline 571-1569, e-mail us at [email protected], or text 0917-8991835.)