03/12/2010

Today, Friday December 3 is the start of one of the key moments in the Spanish box office calendar. A long, indeed very long six-day weekend lies ahead, thanks to the Constitution Day bank holiday and the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, when distributors will make the most of audiences’ good spirits to launch some of their strongest titles.

Spanish cinema will be represented by four films that will get wide visibility and show its great versatility, ranging from auteur fare to teen comedy, through horror and family cinema.

Standing out among the new releases is Mexican director Alejandro González Iñárritu’s Biutiful [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile], launched by Universal. Produced by Mod Producciones (Agora [+see also:
trailer
film profile], Primos), the film was presented at Cannes in May, where Javier Bardem scooped Best Actor Award. Despite this win, it received a somewhat cooler critical reception than the director’s previous works.

Secondly, another US major, Warner Bros, is launching Three Meters Above the Sky, a Spanish remake of the Italian film based on the book by Federico Moccia, who has a steadfast ability to connect with teenage audiences. It is also expected to be a hit thanks to its starring couple, young idols Mario Casas and María Valverde, and the presence of helmer Fernando González Molina (Brain Drain [+see also:
trailer
film profile]).

Alongside these two new releases are two films that are already enjoying a successful run at the box office. Despite the fact it was released 35 days ago, Guillem Morales’s Julia’s Eyes [+see also:
trailer
film profile] (distribution: Universal) is still in sixth position in the box office charts, has exceeded €6m in takings and looks likely to become this year’s highest-grossing Spanish movie.

Totally different in theme and tone, Gerardo Olivares’s Among Wolves [+see also:
trailer
film profile] last week got a low-key release through Wanda Visión and garnered an impressive €650,000. The positive buzz generated among audiences augurs well for the film’s continued success over the long weekend.