Imanol Arias Movies

One dysfunctional family's problems hold up a mirror to larger issues of racism and misplaced patriotism in this Spanish drama. Berta (Marisa Paredes) is a nurse who is edging into middle age and looking for a husband; she also looks after the three teenage children of her recently deceased sister. Eduardo (Imanol Arias) is a hard-drinking police investigator who encounters Berta during a trip to the hospital; they hit it off and begin dating. But Berta's new romance could pose a problem for her niece, Lucia (Maria Isasi), whose boyfriend, Fausto (Jose Luis Alcobendas), has a lucrative illegal business smuggling illegal aliens from North Africa into Spain. Adding to tensions around the house, Lucia's brothers, Raul (Alberto Ferreiro) and Guillermo (Roger Casamajor), are members of an extreme right-wing group who have been implicated in the murder of an illegal immigrant from Senegal (Emilio Buale). Berta tries to ignore the ugly truth about the youngsters in her care, but when Eduardo is assigned to investigate the case of the murdered immigrant, she is forced to face the reality of her family's actions. Salvajes was the first feature film from director Carlos Molinero. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

In the midst of the danger and destruction of Sarajevo during the Bosnian conflict, a brave, dedicated group of war correspondents from all over the world gathered to bring the terrifying war into the lives of others. In the name of ratings and personal glory, these newshounds regularly risk their lives to get their stories. This war drama centers on three such reporters. Spanish newswoman Laura is more accustomed to doing "puff pieces" than hard news. This is her first time in Sarajevo and the experience is nearly overwhelming. At first the sophisticated veteran newscaster Mikel scoffs at her inexperience, but eventually the two connect and become lovers. Meanwhile, Mikel's fearless cameraman José anxiously awaits the destruction of the city's last remaining bridge. As Laura travels about the ruined town chronicling events and interviewing residents, she begins to lose her innocence and in so doing, gains painful insight into herself. At one point she finds herself entering the marketplace, a particularly dangerous sniper-inhabited location that has been dubbed by the others as "Comanche Territory." ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi

Based on a novel by Colombian author Alvaro Mutis, this frothy adventure chronicles the exploits of an unlikely trio of wanderers trying to earn money in Panama City during the 1950s. As the film opens, the three have been separated. The dashing Marqroll is aboard a ship that gets confiscated in port. While marooned, he wanders the city and runs into his good friend, the vivacious Macedonian-Polish traveler Illona who lives a splendid life after having sold a lucrative South African nightclub. Upon learning that their Lebanese compatriot Abdul has been imprisoned for smuggling, the two conspire to spring him. Afterward, they decide to help Abdul buy the tramp steamer he has always wanted. To do this, they open up a brothel. It's a big success and their goal is in sight until they hire on the mysterious Larissa as their newest shady lady. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi

This Spanish sex-comedy comes from director Manuel Gomez Pereira and focuses on a trio of divorced men who agree to swear off relationships with women. Burned to many times by the fairer sex, roommates Juan, Joaquin, and Manolo make a pact that they will stay single forever. However, when they meet their new maid, they all fall head-over-heels and the agreement goes right out the window. ~ Matthew Tobey, Rovi

Juan (Imanol Arias) speaks Catalan and Spanish. He was active in political protests under the Franco regime. He is an astonishingly bad accordian player, and an acceptable ventriloquist, which enables him to scratch a living from the streets as an itinerant musician/entertainer. A long time ago, he met an aristocratic young woman (Ornella Muti) at a sit-in at an art gallery and married her. She has long since divorced him, but he still yearns for her. Juan was injured in a random terrorist incident, and now affects costumes that evoke the Phantom of the Opera and other famous mutilated men. He has minor encounters with women, but he is still seeking some way to come back into his former wife's life again. ~ Clarke Fountain, Rovi

The name of mystery writer Edgar Neville may be relatively unknown in the U.S., but his novels have been the source for quite a number of films made in Europe. In this humorous story, set in Madrid, a woman (Angela Molina) standing in the rain is offered rides from two different cars. Either ride she takes will change her life significantly. At this point, the movie backs up and a narrator explains that from here on, the movie will explore both possible fates. The first car is being driven by a wealthy goofball (Imanol Arias) who is considerably older than the woman. If she gets in his car, she will marry him. The second car is being driven by an artist (Antonio Banderas) whom she is attracted to. Oddly, she still winds up marrying the rich guy, but when he dies of a heart attack, she can now look up the artist. ~ Clarke Fountain, Rovi

This somber drama illustrates the cruel lengths some people will go to capitalize on unfortunate human oddities. When a beggar woman dies, her relatives fight over her son who has an enlarged head from having water on the brain. He is taken on tours of county fairs where his condition brings in money from slack-jawed yokels who stare in disbelief. When the boy is left unattended in a local tavern, he dies from alcohol poisoning. Even in death, the body is put on display in an effort to profit from his unfortunate disability. ~ Dan Pavlides, Rovi

Set at the end of the 1940s, this drama about Pedro (Imanol Arias), a medical researcher, and his relationships with his family and women underscores the mood of repression that dominated Spain during Franco's fascist regime. Pedro lives in a boardinghouse and is attracted to Dorita (Victoria Abril), his beautiful neighbor. He wiles away his time with a wealthy friend and generally leads a normal life until he tries to save the life of a young woman who has had an abortion that went tragically wrong. He fails, and the woman's boyfriend comes after him, believing that he killed her. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, Rovi

Four protagonists carry the action in this adventure story about betrayal, the high seas, and illegal shipping. Patxi (Alfredo Landa) is a widowed sea captain who becomes friends with Esteban, a ship's machinist (Imanol Arias), and the two end up going to Africa where they get in trouble and land in jail. Patxi's daughter Begona (Virginia Mataix) is being romantically pursued by the corrupt owner of a shipping line who is trading in illegal arms (Carlos Lucena). Ignoring her erstwhile suitor, she flies off to get her father and Esteban out of their predicament. But tragedy has already struck: Patxi is dead, and Esteban and Begona go back home where they seek justice. Much of Bandera Negra was shot in the Basque area of Spain, and the film was sponsored by the Basque regional government. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, Rovi

This routine story of love, murder, and witchcraft is set in 17th century northern Spain (in Basque country). A priest is trying to ferret out the truth in a 20-year-old tragedy involving a woman accused of witchcraft, her husband, and a jealous lover. Through a series of flashbacks, it is revealed that a young pregnant woman is jealous of Gabrielle (Angela Molina), who married the woman's lover. Deranged by anger at her betrayal, the mother-to-be murders her lover -- now Gabrielle's husband -- and then manages to convincingly charge Gabrielle with witchcraft. The result is that Gabrielle gets sent to prison, and the unbalanced young mother has her child and then inters herself in a nunnery (a common refuge for unwed mothers). The priest himself may be connected to this unhappy story. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, Rovi