El Sur (film)
El Sur ("The South") is a 1983 drama film directed by the Spanish filmmaker Victor Erice, produced by Elias Querejeta, starring Icíar Bollaín as the adult main character. Written by Jose Luis Lopez Linares, it is based on Adelaida García Morales' short novel of the same name.[1]
| El Sur | |
|---|---|
.jpg.webp) Film poster | |
| Directed by | Víctor Erice |
| Written by | Jose Luis Lopez Linares Adelaida García Morales[1] |
| Produced by | Elías Querejeta |
| Starring | Omero Antonutti Sonsoles Aranguren Icíar Bollaín Aurore Clément |
| Cinematography | José Luis Alcaine |
| Edited by | Pablo González del Amo |
| Music by | Enrique Granados |
Release date |
15 January 1988 (U.S.) |
Running time | 95 minutes |
| Country | Spain |
| Language | Spanish |
As in the novella, the screenplay takes place solely in the north of Spain, however the novella picks up where the screenplay leaves off, taking Estrella on a journey to the south of Spain. Producer Elías Querejeta decided not to allow the filming of the latter 90 minutes which would have been filmed in the south. Querejeta attributed this to lack of funds, although neither Erice nor the film's cinematographer, José Luis Alcaine, believed that was the reason. Erice felt the film was incomplete and described it as an "unfinished drama" even though it was well received by critics.[2]
Plot
This film tells the story of a young girl named Estrella, living in the north of Spain with her father, Augustin, and her mother, Julia. Her father is a scientist who seemingly has the ability to divine water using a pendulum, but Estrella finds him mysterious. As she's growing up her father shares with her the art of divination, but does not talk about his own childhood. Her grandmother comes to visit, and she learns that during the Spanish Civil War her father and grandfather had a falling out. Her grandfather supported Franco, but her father was a Republican. After the civil war her father vowed he would never return to the south again. Later she sees her father visit a movie theater, then eventually discovers that the films he patronizes all star an actress by the name of Irene Rios (Aurore Clément). She later finds out that Rios was her father's sweetheart in the south, and that he is still in love with her.[1][3]
Cast
- Omero Antonutti as Agustín Arenas
- Sonsoles Aranguren as Estrella, 8 years
- Icíar Bollaín as Estrella, 15 years
- Aurore Clément as Irene Ríos / Laura
- Lola Cardona as Julia, Agustín's wife
- Rafaela Aparicio as Milagros
- Francisco Merino as Irene Ríos's Co-Star
- Maria Caro as Casilda
- José Vivó as Grand Hotel barman
- Germaine Montero as Doña Rosario
- José Luis Fernández, El Pirri as El Carioco
Reception
The film was entered into the 1983 Cannes Film Festival.[4]
El Sur was voted the sixth-best Spanish film by professionals and critics in a 1996 Spanish cinema centenary.[5]
References
- Canby, Vincent (15 January 1988). "Film: 'El Sur,' From Spain". The New York Times. New York, NY.
- Lindo, Elvira (21 Jun 2018). "El Sur: A Complete Incomplete Film". criterion.com. The Criterion Collection. Retrieved 21 September 2021.
- Abou-Jaoude, Amir (5 October 2018). "In 'El Sur,' Victor Erice contemplates childhood". The Stanford Daily. Stanford, CA, USA. Retrieved 21 September 2021.
- "Festival de Cannes: The South". festival-cannes.com. Retrieved 20 September 2021.
- Bentley, Bernard P. E. (2008). A Companion to Spanish Cinema. Boydell & Brewer Ltd. pp. 319–320. ISBN 1855661764.