13/12/2006

Shooting finished last week on El rey de la montaña (lit "The King of the Mountain"), the third feature film by Gonzalo López Gallego, known for Sobre el arco iris (2003) and for his acclaimed debut Nómadas, awarded at the Malaga Film Festival in 2001.

The director will now begin the next phase, to edit this story created under the visually aesthetic influence of videogames. "Videogames are so developed today that they now have their own language, which no longer needs to be influenced by film culture", said the director. "This new language may create several visual styles that will bring new and refreshing elements to the directing process. Moreover, this technique may lead us directly to young audiences, who are familiar with the production of video games".

However, not only are the film's visuals are influenced by videogames but the plot as well. The two main characters – played by Argentinean actor Leonardo Sbaraglia (recently seen in Manuel Huerga's Salvador [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] - read the interview) and emerging actress Maria Valverde (Antonio Hernandez's The Borgia [+see also:
trailer
film profile]) – get lost in the woods, desperately trying to escape the men shooting at them. If they stop running, they will die.

Produced by Goodfellas, Decontrabando and Estudios Picasso, principal photography of El rey de la montaña took place over seven weeks in Soria, Burgos, Guadalajara and Madrid. No date has yet been announced for theatrical distribution.