13/01/2006

Next week will see the start of principal photography for GAL, the second feature film by Miguel Courtois. Produced by Mundo Ficción (Spain) and Maijuin (France), the shooting of the 6M€ film will take place in Madrid, in the Basque Country and in France for nine weeks. Aurum Producciones will handle the distribution in the last trimester of the year.

The actions of GAL (Group Antiterrorist of Liberation), a department of the Spanish police responsible for over 30 attacks against ETA members between 1983 and 1989, was the topic of a famous journalist’s research, denouncing their activities. At the time of adapting the real facts to the big screen, the director assures us that the film will be a story "told from a journalist perspective". Melchor Miralles, one of the journalists involved in the investigation is the executive producer of the film.
Even if the script is written by Antonio Onetti, the characters’ names will change, but "remain identifiable", added Courtois. Jordi Mollá, who plays the sub commissioner Ariza, heads a casting including Natalia Verbeke, Ana Álvarez, Merce Llorens, José Coronado, Jordi Rebellón and French actors Bernar Le Coq (in the role of former prime minister Filipe Gonzáles) and José García, who takes part once again in a Spanish co-production after his collaboration with veteran director Carlos Saura (The Seventh Day).

With a long career in television as a producer and director, Miguel Courtois had his film debut in 2004 with The Wolf. Starring Eduardo Noriega, the film, which was also inspired by actual events in the 70's, won two Goyas and grossed 774.786 € in the 2005 box office.