Five Catalan movies made Cannes Festivals cut, six were selected for March du Film sections. Details and other top Catalan movies on the Croisette:
20,000 Species of Bees,(Estibaliz Urresola)
One of the big winners at Berlin, taking Leading Performance, and two other key prizes, and now healthy racking up healthy sales, including a Film Movement U.S. pickup, Bees builds from a naturalistic base a family off for a village summer holiday to become a moving an ode to womens freedom. Produced out of Barcelona by Valrie Delpierres Inicia Films. Sales: Luxbox
Blondi,(Dolores Fonzi)
From La Unin de los Ros, behind Argentina, 1985), the awaited directorial debut of Fonzi, star of Santiago Mitres Cannes winner Paulina, a double mother-son coming of age dramedy. Sales: Film Factory
A Bright Sun,(Monica Cambra, Ariadna Fortuny)
Facing the end of the world, Mila, 11, tries to keep her family together by celebrating a party. Born from a desire to imagine the unimaginable, its directors say. Sales: Begin Again Films.
Ashes in the Sky,(Miquel Romans)
A WWII resistance drama, inspired by the true life of Spanish Republican Neus Catal, head of an anti-Nazi unit at a Czech weapons factory and Ravensbrcksurvivor.Sales: Filmax
The Chapel,(Carlota Pereda)
Selected for Cannes Fantastic Seven, a March showcase, Peredas awaited follow-up to Sundance 2022 title Piggy, one of Spains most acclaimed feature debuts of last year. Sales: Filmax
The Coffee Table,(Caye Casas)
A pitch-black comedy about the nightmarish consequences of a couples purchase of the titular object, which has been gathering fans on the festival circuit. Sales: MPM Premium
Crack of Dawn,(Anna Llargus)
Using their grandfathers Super-8 camera, two adolescents shoot rival family family house theyll soon be forced to abandon. A graduate short from BarcelonasESCAC Film School, selected for Cannes La Cinef.
Creature,(Elena Martn Gimeno)
Second feature from 2021 Mlaga best director Martn (Jlia ist), a Veneno writer and Perfect Life director. Written with Clara Roquet (Libertad) and developed at Ikusmira Berriak, the drama follows a young woman who looks back at her life of sexual repression. Pic is produced byCatalonias Vilat Filmsand Lastor Media, and Alcarrs backers Avalon and Elstica Films.Sales: Luxbox
The Cuckoos Curse,(Mar Targarona)
A vacation house swap goes dramatically awry in the latest from director-producer (The Orphanage) Targarona. Sales: Film Factory
The Enchanted,(Elena Trap)
From Trap (The Distances), a best screenplay winner at Marchs Malaga, with 2023 Goya actress winner Laia Costa (Lullaby ) as a young mother confronting a new reality after divorce, including a first separation from her four-year-old daughter. Sales: Latido Films
In the Company of Women,(Silvia Munt)
Distinguished actor-director Munt (Butterfly Wings) directs a drama, set in 1976. As Spain hurtles towards democracy, Bea joins the feminist cause and, to her surprise, falls in love with another girl. Irusoin and Obern Cinematogrfica produce with Frances Manny Films and La Fidle Production. Sales: Filmax.
Inside the Yellow Cocoon Shell,(Pham Thien An)
A drama of estrangement, stunningly shot by Vietnams Pham Thien An (Stay Awake, Be Ready), making his feature debut. Vietnams JK Film and Singapores Potocol produce with Frances Deuxime Ligne Films andCatalonias Fasten Films.
Jumping the Fence,(Benito Zambrano)
The latest from Zambrano (The Sleeping Voice), a social thriller set at the fence separating Morocco and Spains Melilla, so Europe. Barcelonas Castelao Producciones produces with Cine365 and Frances Noodles. At Spanish Screenings Goes to Cannes.
Not Such an Easy Life,(Felix Viscarret)
Patria director Viscarrets touching take on the pitfalls of fatherhood and success, which was well received at Marchs Malaga Festival. Sales: Latido
The Real Truth About the Fight,(Andrea Slaviek)
A Cannes Critics Week short, from Croatias Slaviek, an alum of Barcelonas ESCAC film school, which explores subjective perception. Produced inCataloniaby Fractal 7 (LEstrany), with Creature DOP Alana Meja Gonzlez serving as cinematographer.
Robot Dreams,(Pablo Berger)
A Cannes Special Screening for the friendship-themed first animated feature from the director of Blancanieves and producer of The Beasts, Arcadia Motion Pictures, it turns on a dog and robot in 80s NYC.Sales: Elle Driver
Rock Bottom,(Mara Trenor)
A rotoscoped animation fiction feature inspired by the early life and acclaimed 1974 art rock album of ex-Soft Machine vocalist-drummer Robert Wyatt. Barcelona-based Alba Sotorra (The Return: Life After ISIS) produces with Valencias Jaibo Films, behind Locarno hit Sacred Spirit, Polands GS Animation, and Majorcas Empatic.
Shortcat Selection
Part of Cannes Short Film Corner, featuring a whale-themed poetic allegory. Whale, from Locarno winner Neus Ballus (The Odd-Job Men Ivan Morales estranged father-son encounter Sushi; Carmen, No Fear of Freedom, from Irene Baqu, about a feminist Roma woman; Gerard Oms woman-in-crisis portrait Once You Were Here He Ran Along His Comrade, Genis Riogols comedic animated short: and Mar Pawlowskys Sour Candy, from Amor y Lujo, about two young teens who meet to lose their virginity.
Sica,(Carla Subirana)
Playing Berlins Generation 14plus, the first fiction feature of Carla Subirana (Kanimambo), a classic coming off age tale set on the memorably shot treacherous Costa da Morte. Alba Sotorra produces with Galicias Miramemira. Sales: Latido
Simas Song,(Roya Sadat)
From Afghans female helmer, Roya Sadat, a drama thriller set in 1979 pre-Civil War Kabul and inspired by a real story of two women whose friendship endures despite radically opposed politics. Sadat, Alba Sotorra,Baldr Films, and Urban Factory produce. A potential Spanish Screenings standout.
La Singla,(Paloma Zapata)
An 60s international flamenco sensation as a young girl, La Singla suddenly disappeared from the map. Half a century later, Zapata tries to find her. Sales: Rise and Shine.
The Sleeping Woman,(Laura Alvea)
A supernatural chiller from Alvea, who helmed episodes of Netflix smash hit The Snow Girl. La Claqueta (Sundance entry Mamacruz) and Coming Soon Films (Distances) produce. Sales: Filmax
A Tree is a Tree,(Carlos Marqus-Marcet)
In a Cannes Doc Spain showcase, a semi-experimental establishment challenging doc feature from Marqus-Marcet, a SXSW winner with 10,000 Km.
Unicorns,(Alex Lora)
The fiction feature debut of Alex Lora, aVariety2014 Spanish talent to track, produced by Delpierre, co-written by La Maternals Pilar Palomero and starring Greta Fernndez (A Thiefs Daughter) in a sexually-charged drama-thriller. Sales: Filmax
Upon Entry,(Alejandro Rojas, Juan Sebastin Vsquez)
A winner at Tallinn, Kolkata, Mlaga and Bafici, also playing SXSW, a Newark Airport immigration interrogation drama thriller produced by a pedigreed Spanish alliance of Carles Torras for Zabriskie Films, Carlos Jurez for Basque Films, Xos Zapata, Sergio Adri and Alba Sotorra. Sales: Charades
Werewolf,(Pau Calpe)
Another Spanish Screenings title, a realistic reinterpretation of the werewolf myth, with the shape shifting protagonist a metaphor for those who are different, says producer Nati Escobar, Set up at Galpagos Media (Yuli, Tros, Can per a tu), directed by young vet Calpe.