Daniel Guzmán: Last News

Pablo Sandoval Few movies are as awaited at this year’s Málaga Festival as Daniel Guzman’s “Canallas” (“Monkey Business”) which world premieres in competition this March 19. It marks the follow-up by Guzmán, an acclaimed actor-turned writer-director, to his notable debut “Nothing in Return” which scored best picture, director and a Critics’ Prize at 2015’s Malaga Festival, going on to scoop Spanish Academy Goyas for new director and breakout actor, the latter for Miguel Herrán. “Canallas” also reps the second original movie production from Movistar Plus, as Spain’s industry looks to the pay TV/SVOD arm of telco giant Telefonica to co-produce some of the biggest movie plays in the country.  Though the subject, setting and tone of “Canallas” could hardly be different from Movistar Plus’ debut movie outing, Alejandro Amenabar’s “While at War,” “Canallas” gives further clues to what kind of movies Movistar Plus is willing to sink money in. It’s clearly the work of an auteur, Guzmán typically meshing reality and fiction, casting a childhood friend, Joaquín González, as himself, a high flying entrepreneur – or so high imagines himself –  still living with his mum in a high rise in a modest outer-periphery big city ‘burb. When González and his family – played by his real non-pro family – face eviction, he turns to childhood friends Brujo and Luismi for help. Things were already going wrong.

Emiliano De Pablos Madrid-based Aquí y Allí Films, one of Spain’s most successful auteur movie production houses, is joining forces with popular Spanish actor turned writer-director Daniel Guzmán (“Nothing in Return,” “Canallas”) to produce drama thriller “La deuda.” Backed by Spain’s pay TV giant Movistar+ and public broadcaster RTVE, “La deuda” will be produced by Aquí y Allí’s Pedro Hernández and Guzmán at El Niño Producciones. The film is scheduled to roll in Madrid by the fall. Written by Guzmán, “La deuda” tells the story of Lucas, a 37-year-old man and the 86 year-old woman Antonia, who live together in a city too big to be alone. Lucas is looking for a job but the job seems not to be looking for him.

John Hopewell Chief International CorrespondentShaping up as one of the most anticipated movies from Spain this year, “Prison 77” (“Modelo 77”) has an international teaser trailer, which Movistar Plus has shared in exclusivity with Variety.“Modelo 77” marks the third Movistar Plus original film, re-teaming Telefonica’s pay TV/SVOD service with director Alberto Rodríguez, co-writer Rafael Cobos and co-producer Atípica Films, the driving forces behind “The Plague,” Movistar Plus’ big banner 2017 series.Sold internationally by Film Factory, “Prison 77” will be released in Spanish theaters by Buena Vista International on Sept. 23, the second Friday of Spain’s San Sebastian Festival, which begs the question as to whether it will feature at the event.

John Hopewell Chief International CorrespondentWrapping March 26, the 25th Malaga Festival and its Spanish Screenings delivered another confirmation of Spain’s build as a fiction force in a new platform era. Following, nine final takes on what may prove a historic edition. A Vibrant Spanish ScreeningsMálaga’s plus-size 2022 Spanish Screenings fairly rocked. Extra funding from Spain’s AVS Hub Plan, covering far more buyers’ flights, meant attendance skyrocketed.