Top Titles from Spain at Cannes 2023

John Hopewell and Pablo Sandoval
·5-min read

“20,000 Species of Bees,” (Estibaliz Urresola)

One of the big winners at Berlin, taking Leading Performance, and now racking up healthy sales, the story of a family off for a village summer holiday which builds to a moving ode to women’s freedoms. Sales: Luxbox

“21 Paraíso,” (Nestor Ruiz Medina)

Living in an idyllic Andalusia, a couple in love grapples with the realities of making a living through OnlyFans. Screened at Seville and Tallinn. Sales: Begin Again Films.

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“All the Names of God,” (Daniel Calparsoro)

One of the big Spanish action-thrillers hitting this Cannes market, from a specialist (“Sky High”). Pre-sold to France (Kinovista), Germany and Italy (Koch Media) with Tripictures releasing in Spain. Sales: Latido

“Un amor,” (Isabel Coixet)

The multi-prized Coixet (“The Secret Life of Words”).

directs Goya winner Laia Costa (“Lullaby”) in a village-set study of an isolated woman’s succumbing to devouring passion. Sales: Film Constellation. 

“Ashes in the Sky,” (Miquel Romans)

A WWII resistance drama, inspired by the true life of Spain’s Neus Català, head of an anti-Nazi unit at a Czech weapons factory. Sales: Filmax

“Blondi,” (Dolores Fonzi)

From La Unión de los Ríos, behind “Argentina, 1985.” the awaited directorial debut of Fonzi, star of Santiago Mitre’s Cannes winner “Paulina,” a double mother-son coming of age dramedy. Sales: Film Factory Entertainment

“A Bright Sun,” (Monica Cambra, Ariadna Fortuny)

Facing the end of the world, Mila, 11, tries to stage a family together party. “Born from a desire to imagine the unimaginable,” its directors say. Sales: Begin Again Films.

“Co-Husbands,” (Lucía Alemany)

Back by Telecinco Cinema (“The Impossible”), and Alemany’s follow-up to “The Innocence,” a comedy hit in which two middle-class machos discover they share the same wife. Sales: Filmax

“ChampioNext,” (Javier Fesser)

After 2018’s “Champions,” which grossed $23. 1 million in Spain and became an international formats hit, yielding a U.S. remake with Woody Harrelson, the follow-up reprising the same characters five years later. Sales: Latido

“Cheaper Than Stealing,” (Pedro Collantes)

A postmodern black comedy from Collantes turning on an Uber driver entering an ad agency world where, says Collantes, “political correctness becomes a commodified currency.” Presented by Paola Botrán at Producers Network. Sales: Sideral

“Close Your Eyes,” (Victor Erice)

The return of Erice (“The Spirit of the Beehive”) to feature filmmaking 30 years after “Dream of Light,” voted by the world’s cinematheques as the 1990s’ best film. The story of a disappearance and a film revolving around identity and memory, its producers say. Playing Cannes Premiere. Sales: Film Factory Ent.

“The Enchanted,” (Elena Trapé)

From Trapé (“The Distances”), a best screenplay winner at March’s 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 young daughter. Sales: Latido

“The Fantastic Golem Affairs,” (Juan González, Fernando Martínez – “Burnin’ Percebes”)

Produced by Aquí y Allí Films and Sideral, a star-spangled cast for the surreal fantasy feature debut from one of the most intriguing duos on the current Spanish film-TV scene. Sales: Sideral

“The Girls Are All Right,” (Itsaso Arana)

The buzzy upcoming directorial debut of “The August Virgin” star, about young actresses who gather at a summer house to rehearse a play.”Elegantly philosophical, the film touches life, death, motherhood, and fairy tale, Variety wrote. Sales: Bendita Film Sales

“Haunted Heart,” (Fernando Trueba)

Starring Mat Dillon and Aida Folch (“The Artist and the Model”), a noirish thriller set on a remote Greek island in which a Spanish waitress for an obsessive hotel manager (Dillon) with a dark past. Sales: Film Constellation

“Marco Polo,” (Pablo Riesgo Almonacid)

A young man struggles with his grief at the death of his brother. The first feature from L.A., Madrid and Mexico City-based Riesgo Almonacid (“Tiro Dominical”). Sales:  Begin Again

“One Hell of a Holiday,” (Victor García Leon)

Released by Universal to the third biggest bow of the year for a Spanish title in Spain, a family comedy with social undertow from notable comedy director García León (“The Europeans”) helms. Sales: Filmax

“Robot Dreams,” (Pablo Berger)

Playing out of competition at Cannes, a friendship-themed first animated feature from the director of “Blancanieves” and producer of “The Beasts,” Arcadia Motion Pictures. Sales: Elle Driver

“Samsara,” (Lois Patiño)

From Patiño (“Red Moon Tide”), the multi-sensorial story of a soul’s journey to reincarnation. Rated by its fans as one of Berlin’s most extraordinary film experiences. Sales: Bendita

“Something is About to Happen,” (Antonio Méndez Esparza)

The anticipated latest from the 2012 Cannes Critics’ Week winner (“Aquí y Allá) and 2018 Independent Spirits laureate (“Life and Nothing More”), billed as a road movie with surreal black-comedy touches. Sales: Film Factory 

“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

“They Shot the Piano Player,” (Fernando Trueba, Javier Mariscal)

Dazzling at an Annecy work in progress session last year, the tragic life story of Francisco Tenorio Jr. who played piano on some of the greatest Bossa nova jazz records of all time, narrated by Jeff Goldblum. Sales: Film Constellation

“Under Therapy,” (Gerardo Herrero)

A Málaga sleeper, rated Herrero’s best work in some time, a barbed adaptation of Argentine Matías Del Federico’s multi-prized play, which won a Special Jury Prize for its ensemble cast. Sales: Latido

“The Wailing,” (Pedro Martín-Calero)

A powerful Spanish-language package from Martín-Calero, director of Weeknd video clips, starring “Elite’s” Ester Expósito, co-written by Rodrigo Sorogoyen’s regular co-scribe Isabel Peña (“The Beasts”) and produced by Caballo Films, behind “The Beasts.” Sales: Film Factory.

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