29/12/2010

Catalan director Mariano Barroso has wrapped filming on his sixth feature, Lo Mejor de Eva (“The Best of Eva”), after a seven-week shoot in locations in Valencia and Madrid. This romantic thriller, produced by Malvarrosa Media, Sentido Films and Telecinco Cinema, has all the ingredients to become one of the star releases of autumn 2011.

The film can certainly bank on the undeniable appeal of its lead couple: Leonor Watling and Miguel Angel Silvestre. The appearance by the latter, a real idol among Spanish teenage girls (and others), is part of his collaboration deal with Telecinco, with whom he has so far made Eduardo Chapero-Jackson’s Verbo (see news), which is about to be released; Salvador Calvo’s mini-series Alakrana (see news); and Lo Mejor de Eva.

Co-scripted by Barroso and Alejandro Hernández, Lo Mejor de Eva centres on a novice examining magistrate, Eva, who is investigating the murder of an Eastern European prostitute connected with powerful businessman Roco. A gigolo will help her solve the case, but will complicate her life on a personal level.

The rest of the cast includes Helio Pedregal, Josean Bengoetxea, Nathalie Poza, Adriana Ugarte, José Luis Torrijo, Isabel Mata and Polina Kiriyanova.

This executive production by Jorge Tuca, Pedro Pastor and Rafael Portela marks Barroso’s return to solo directing after a five-year break, since Ants in the Mouth (2005). During that time, he directed one of the parts to collective documentary Invisibles (2006) (see news), where he shared credits with Isabel Coixet, Javier Corcuera, Fernando León and Wim Wenders. His best-known work is Ecstasy (1996), starring a young Javier Bardem.

(Translated from Spanish)