Spain’s Álex Montoya Talks Málaga Competition Title ‘La Casa’: Adapted From Paco Roca’s Eisner-Winning Graphic Novel

variety.com:

Holly Jones A myriad of sentiments converge when estranged siblings meet to unpack the weight of their father’s recent death in Spain’s Álex Montoya’s third feature “La Casa,” adapted from the Eisner-winning graphic novel by Paco Roca and sold by Latido Films.

The film, which bowed last night, figures in the official competition selection at this year’s Málaga Film Festival, his project “Lucas” having previously swept the fest’s Zonazine sidebar in 2020 – snagging best film, actor (Jorge Motos) and Audience Award plaudits.

Written by Montoya and Joana M. Ortueta, the project serves as a bittersweet rumination on regret, duty and the ties that bind us, proving a reflective journey through collective consciousness that’s held to task as the three work to rekindle a semblance of affection while sifting through hefty and lingering recollections. “I’ve been a comic reader for as long as I can remember and, as such, I’ve followed Paco’s work closely,” Montoya told Variety. “I was surprised by ‘La Casa,’ by its ability to move with a very clean, apparently simple story.

The passage of time, memory and legacy have been treated a thousand times on the screen, but Paco’s work did so in an especially effective way, so I quickly decided to acquire the rights,” he explained.