Antonio Dechent Movies
The story of Spain's most infamous family is brought to the screen with surprising subtlety in this historical drama. Near the end of the 15th century, the Borgias are one of the most wealthy families in Europe, with their numbers divided between Spain and Italy, and when Rodrigo Borgia (Lluis Homar) is elected as Pope, his three sons -- Cesar (Sergio Peris-Mencheta), Juan (Sergio Muniz), and Jofre (Eloy Azorin) -- find themselves raised to positions of power as their father arranges politically advantageous marriages for them. Rodrigo's daughter Lucrecia (Maria Valverde) is also used as a bargaining chip when he persuades her to wed Giovanni Sforza, the favored son of a family often in opposition to the Borgias. While Rodrigo benefits from these alliances, his children do not -- Cesar's dreams of serving in the military are dashed when he is made to join his father in the church, Juan's time in the Army is full of unhappy consequences, Jofre's marriage to Sancha of Aragon (Linda Batista) is not fated to be a happy one, and murder stains the lives of most of the family. Originally shot as a mini-series for television, The Borgias (aka Los Borgia) was reedited for theatrical release in Spain, where it became a success at the box office. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lluís Homar, Sergio Peris-Mencheta, (more)
- 2006
Originally filmed as part of the Six Films to Keep You Awake horror series from Spain, Alex de la Iglesia's The Baby's Room weaves the unsettling story of a young couple who moves into a renovated home with their newborn child, only to discover that sinister forces are at work around them when the baby monitor begins to malfunction in a most unsettling manner. Juan and Sonia have found the perfect home to start a family in, or at least that's what they thought when they first moved in. Everyone is content in their new surroundings until, after tucking into bed after an exhausting day, Juan begins to hear strange noises coming though the baby monitor. Upon checking the child to find that nothing is amiss, Juan assumes that he was just hearing things. When the noises persist, however, the couple makes the decision to replace the audio-only monitor with a new version that also features a video camera. Unfortunately things go from bad to worse when Juan wakes up in the middle of the night to see a complete stranger standing over his sleeping child. Racing into his child's room, Juan is relieved to find that, once again, his imagination seems to have gotten the best of him. Still, the concerned father can't shake the feeling that something supernatural is happening in his beautiful new home, and after falling into a frightening spiral of paranoia he enlists the aid of a paranormal investigator to find out what's really going on. But the truth, as Juan will soon find out, is so shocking that it will test the very limits of his sanity. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Javier Gutierrez, Leonor Watling, (more)
- 2006
A sullen doctor who is teetering on the cusp of middle-age is forced to revisit his painful family past in director Gerardo Herrero's adaptation of Almudena Grandes' best-selling novel. As children, Juan and Charo (Natalia Sanchez) were sweethearts until Charo was swept away by the charms of Juan's older brother Dami. Though Dami and Charo eventually marry, their union was simply not meant to be. Soon after the unhappy wife comes seeking solace in the arms of her husband's brother, tragedy strikes and Charo is killed in a deadly car accident. Years later, Juan is a forty-year old doctor who has relocated his family from Madrid to the village of Cádiz on Spain's Atlantic coast. In addition to caring for he and Dami's mentally handicapped younger brother Alfonso (Andres Gertrudix), Juan also acts as guardian to his young niece Tamara. When a relationship begins to develop between Juan and his Andalusian maid Maribel (Cuca Escribano), Juan's troubled past soon begins to work its way to the surface of things despite his best efforts to keep it under lock and key. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- José Luis García Pérez, Cuca Escribano, (more)
- 2006
A fierce soldier fighting for the Spanish cause in Flanders returns to a drastically different Spain to fulfill the dying wish of a fallen friend, only to find that life isn't what it once was in his decaying homeland in director Agustín Díaz Yanes' adaptation of Arturo Pérez-Reverte's popular series of best-selling books. Compelled to fulfill the final wish of his dying friend, noble warrior Alatriste (Viggo Mortensen) makes his way back to Spain to care for the man's young son, Iñigo (Nacho Perez and Unax Ugalde). Things have taken a sharp turn for the worst back home, however, and as Alatriste does his best to help the boy reach manhood while earning his keep as a hired swordsman, he sees his country crumbling at the feet of a feeble monarch who is failing to grasp the inner workings of his own corrupt court. The impulsive handling of the Spanish Inquisition, coupled with the corrosive influence of the Count-Duke of Olivares (Javier Cámara), has brought a once-powerful nation to its knees as the growing chasm between the deceitful upper class and the miserable life of the commoners has effectively served to polarize the populace. In a time when corruption reigns and honor has faded, Alatriste remains a lone figure who refuses to relinquish his noble spirit as he raises Iñigo and enters into a passionate love affair with actress Maria de Castro (Ariadna Gil). ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Viggo Mortensen, Eduardo Noriega, (more)
- 2006
Director Manuel Huerga teams with screenwriter Lluis Arcarazo to explore the life and death of the last man executed by the garrote in this biopic following the life of leftist Spanish bank robber and revolutionary Salvador Puig. The product of a leftist bourgeois household, Salvador (Daniel Bruehl) railed against Franco's oppressive as a young student, and soon turned to bank robbery as a means of contributing to the radical labor movement. When a cop is killed during one of the robberies and Salvador is captured, the trial to determine the young activist's fate is swift. Though Salvador does put some hope into the chance for a reprieve, his grim fate is ultimately sealed when a bomb kills Franco's president. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Daniel Brühl, Tristan Ulloa, (more)
Filmmaker Chus Gutiérrez directs this high-spirited comedy set in newly democratic Spain and detailing the adventures of a teenage virgin who flees to a decadent nightclub in order to escape her tyrannical mother. Sara (Verónica Sánchez) may be virginal, but as with most teens she's got a rebellious streak a mile wide. Upon discovering a Madrid club known as El Calentito, Sara finally finds a place where she can be her true self. Anything goes at El Calentito, and the vibe at the club is both pansexual and punk rock. Presiding over El Calentito is motherly transsexual Antonia (Nuria Gonzalez). One of the biggest bands on the local scene is Las Sioux, so when lesbian lead singer and Joan Jett lookalike Carmen (Ruth Diaz) and free-spirited Leo (Macarena Gomez) invite Sara to join the band, the eager adolescent jumps at the chance. But on the night of their performance for a hig-powered record executive, something astonishing happens -- the remaining members of Franco's fascist regime stage a daring coup d'état. Will El Calentito survive the ensuing chaos, and what will become of Las Sioux? With the future of the entire country suddenly thrown into doubt, the club is suddenly infused with a newfound sense of energy and urgency, and young, innocent Sara will experience sights and sounds that she could never have imagined. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Verónica Sánchez, Juan Sanz, (more)
Antonio Cuadri's Eres Mi Héroe (You're My Hero) stars Manuel Lozano as Ramon, a 15-year-old who is going through a rough period of growing pains while adjusting to his new school in Seville. He becomes involved with the school's disciplinary system when he chooses to fight with the boy who has been bullying him. The death of Franco ends up playing an important part in the film's conclusion. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Manuel Lozano, Toni Canto, (more)
Directed by veteran Spanish helmer Vicente Aranda, Carmen revolves around a complex cast of characters, including Merimee (Jay Benedict), a writer and archeologist whose research in southern Spain circa 1830 brings him into contact with Jose (Leonardo Sbaraglia), a bandit. When Merimee meets the beautiful Carmen (Paz Vega) in a cathedral, Jose bursts in and orders Merimee to leave unless he wanted to be killed. Eventually, Jose reveals how he had met Carmen -- breaking up a fight between her and a co-worker who believed her to be a witch, and subsequently letting her off the hook rather than taking her to prison. When they next met, Carmen was working as a prostitute, which made Jose jealous enough to murder one of her clients. Afterwards, he dedicated his entire life to being with her, not caring who he killed along the way. The film also features Antonio Dechent, Joan Crosas, and Joe Mackay. ~ Tracie Cooper, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Paz Vega, Leonardo Sbaraglia, (more)
Heated office politics boil quickly to the surface as a tobacco-loving employee make a desperate plea for a smoking room in this observant comedy from writer/directors Julio Wallovits and Roger Gual. Working his days away in a Spanish branch of a large U.S.-based company, salary-man Ramirez (Eduard Fernandez) is enraged when a no-smoking ordinance goes into effect, leaving him no place to light up while on the clock. Though his bid for nicotine bliss initially divides employees' loyalties based solely on the subject at hand, petty grievances soon erupt into all-out war concerning twisted office politics. With employees going back on their initial support for the smoking room and paranoia soon giving way to shifting loyalties, it seems that everyone has their own agenda when it comes the how the company is being run. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Antonio Dechent, Juan Diego, (more)
- 2002
Spanish director Chus Gutierrez draws attention to illegal immigrants and the racism they are forced to endure in her 2002 social issue drama Poniente. Madrid-based schoolteacher Lucía (Cuca Escribano) returns to her birthplace in Southern Spain after her father passes away. Upon her arrival, Lucía reconnects with her hometown and decides to assume leadership of her father's greenhouse business -- a development that draws the ire of her cousin Miguel (Antonio Dechent), who would have taken over if Lucía hadn't. In due time, Lucía meets her father's business accountant, Curro (Jose Coronado), and promptly takes a keen personal interest in the attractive, sensitive man. As Curro and Lucía share a compassionate regard for the illegal immigrants they employ, both are forced to confront the outright racism coming from the surrounding community, as well as from some of their other non-immigrant employees. As tensions come to a head, Lucía is forced to make some business decisions that will have long lasting -- and quite disparate -- effects on her relationships with her employees and the surrounding community. ~ Ryan Shriver, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Cuca Escribano, Jose Coronado, (more)
Some people are born with good luck, but others try to attain it however they can -- and at any cost -- in this offbeat psychological thriller from Spain. Samuel Berg (Max Von Sydow) is an elderly man who lives beneath a gambling casino on an island off the Spanish coast. In Berg's world, good fortune is a commodity that can be acquired from others, and while would-be gambler Federico (Eusebio Poncela) has a genuine talent for taking good luck from those who have it, Berg's gift is even stronger, and after a long day of absorbing positive vibrations from winning gamblers, Berg steals the day's "take" from him, leaving Federico to plan his revenge. Federico becomes aware of Tomas (Leonardo Sbaraglia), a man who recently survived a plane crash, and is convinced he has even more luck than Berg can overcome; the two become partners, and Federico enters Tomas in an underground tournament designed to determine who Lady Luck smiles upon most sweetly. After Federico and Tomas win a handsome home from Alejandro (Antonio Dechent), a former bullfighter, the pair seems poised to go up against Berg and claim his luck as their own, but Sara (Monica Lopez), a police investigator, is convinced Federico and Tomas are up to no good and begins exploring their bizarre secret world. Intacto received its American premiere at the 2002 Sundance Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Leonardo Sbaraglia, Eusebio Poncela, (more)
The rich and passionate sounds of Spanish flamenco music provide the backdrop for this emotional drama of two families at war. Caco (Antonio Canales) is a man whose family has long been at odds with the Caravacas, a prominent family living in the same village. Mario, Caco's brother, murdered one of the Caravacas, and now the family is out for blood, with Mario's son Diego (Orestes Villasan Rodriguez) the expected target. Caco has lost a daughter of his own, whom Diego loved, and Caco is determined to spare his nephew the same fate. But guarding the young man is no easy task in the hilly country of southern Spain. Vengo also features performances by a number of noted flamenco performers, including La Paquera de Jerez. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- 2000
Based on an idea by noted Spanish filmmaker Ricardo Franco, this gritty rural drama is directed by Daniel Cebrian. Failed singer Luz (Pilar Punzano) reluctantly returns to her hometown after being raped by record company honcho Fredy Barleta (Jose Coronado). Of course, home is not much better for the lass -- her ex-cop father is so profoundly depressed that he does not speak, and her jealous childhood boyfriend is still angry with her for leaving. Meanwhile, Luz's best friend Cascabel (Irene Visedo) longs to flee her psychotically possessive father Tadeo -- who makes her wear a bell so that he can locate her. ~ Jonathan Crow, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Antonio Dechent
This Spanish drama takes an unblinking look at the grim realities of life among Madrid's economically and spiritually underprivileged underclass. David (Unax Ugalde) is a homeless man who struggles to get by with the help of his friends -- dope-dealing Carlos (Juan Diaz), cheerful but misguided Abundio (Fede Celada), and half-bright Titanlux (Benjamin Seva). One day, David meets a beautiful woman, Maria (Pilar Lopez de Ayala), and is immediately smitten. He sets out to earn her affections, and as Maria is charmed by David's ardor (as well as his poetry), she quits her job at a diner to be with him. David and Maria move in to Carlos's apartment, but Carlos's girlfriend Elena (Beatriz Sanchez) is not at all happy with their presence and asks them to leave. Desperate to earn some money, David makes the acquaintance of Facundo (Antonio Dechent), a high-level drug dealer who supplies Carlos with his product. Facundo recruits David as a new salesman and he starts pushing heroin on the streets, quickly making enough money to afford an apartment for Maria and himself. But Maria is eager to make some extra money of her own, and when she meets Veronica (Beatriz Arguello), a prostitute living in their building, she follows her lead and is soon turning tricks on the side; when David finds out about her new career, he soon turns to heroin to ease his heartbreak. Bailame El Agua's soundtrack features the song "But By Your Side" by Los Secretos -- grimly ironic, since vocalist Enrique Urquijo, who helped write the song, died of a drug overdose by the time the film appeared in Spanish theaters. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
Maria (Ana Fernandez), whose parents live in the country, cannot stand her father's authoritarian ways and moves to the city. She finds a job as a cleaner and tries to survive in a wretched apartment in the shabby part of a big city. She is pregnant, and the fact that her boyfriend has abandoned her does not help matters. When her father goes to the hospital for an operation, her mother comes to stay with her. Her neighbor, an old recluse whose only friend is his dog, begins to come out of his shell and these three lost souls try to give each other (and especially Maria) the strength to start over. A sensitive portrait of urban isolation and loneliness, Solas received the Panorama People's Choice Award at the 49th International Berlin Film Festival, 1999. ~ Gönül Dönmez-Colin, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ana Fernandez, Maria Galiana, (more)
This big-budget Spanish drama pays tribute to the courageous women who sacrificed their lives during the Spanish Civil War in 1936. Maria's peaceful life as a nun is shattered when revolutionary anarchists force her and her sisters to flee their convent sanctuary. Maria ends up hiding in a brothel where she meets the good-hearted whore Charo. Their peace is in turn destroyed by the sudden arrival of Pilar, a passionate, idealistic member of the Free Women organization. Her fiery speeches and strong arm tactics compel the hookers and Maria to join their fight. A handsome ex-priest also joins them as they fight with the anarchists in Zaragoza. Following a small victory, the formerly trench-bound, battle-weary women celebrate, but then Maria finds herself faced with the destruction and death that goes with war. Later the former priest informs the women that they will not be allowed to fight upon the front lines and the women are left with broken ideals and angry hearts that lead them into one last, violent battle. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1989
Maribel Verdu plays a prostitute in the Spanish Los Dias del Cometa. Trapped in her lifestyle by her seductive pimp Antonio Dechent, Verdu tries in matter-of-fact fashion to make the best of her situation. The film relates her various "tricks," and her reactions to same. Written and directed by Luis Arino, the 77-minute Los Dias del Cometa was an entry in the 1989 Barcelona Film Festival. As of this writing, it has not been released in the U.S. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Maribel Verdú, Antonio Dechent, (more)
- 1988
In this romantic drama, Andres (Miguel Molina) is a young man from Madrid who for years has had his eye on Marga (Nina Ferrer). Andres enjoys feminine companionship with several girlfriends but can't get Marga out of his mind. When the two finally meet, Marga explains her past in a flashback scene in which she admits to being a drunken, unfaithful wife. Andres's friends warn him not to get involved with Marga, but he ignores their advice. Marga and Andres become romantically involved but their future is left uncertain. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Miguel Molina, Nina Ferrer, (more)
