The Borgia stand out among the Germans

by Vitor Pinto

06/10/2006 - Ambition. Passion. Power. It is with this suggestive triangle of nouns that broadcaster Antena 3 is advertising its biggest film investment so far. The Borgia [trailer], a €10m Spanish (80%)/Italian (20%) co-production following the political intrigues of Renaissance's most prominent family, is released today by DeAPlaneta with 350 copies and promises to make a splash in Spain's box office, which was lead in early September by another local super production with historical features: Agustín Díaz Yanes's Alatriste [trailer].

Directed by Goya winner Antonio Hernandez (The City of No Limits [trailer]), The Borgia was shot during 12 weeks in Spain and Italy earlier this year, with most of scenes being film in real locations, where Valencia-born Rodrigo Borgia (Pope Alexandre VI) and his three children, Juan, Cesar and Lucrecia, did actually live (see news).

According to executive producer Teddy Teddy Villalba, the film has already been sold by Filmax International to several territories (Germany, France, Italy, Benelux, Holland, Croatia) and it will have an extended version of nearly four hours set to be shown on TV.

However, the rise and fall of The Borgia is not the only European title opening this week. Local audiences also have the occasion to discover another domestic production (though much more modest when it comes to production costs), Santi Amodeo's Cabeza de Perro (distribution: Alta Films) and four German productions, including Berlin awarded The Elementary Particles (see focus – distribution : Golem), Cannes 2005 title Don't Come Knowing by Wim Wenders (Araba Films), Max Ophüls's 1955 classic Lola Montès (Notro Films) and Richard Claus's The Thief Lord (Flins y Pinículas). US titles The Devil Wears Prada and Snakes on a Plane are distributed respectively by Hispano Foxfilm and Tripictures.