Mariola Fuentes Movies

A follow-up to Spanish enfant terrible Pedro Almodóvar's 2006 arthouse sensation Volver, Los Abrazos Rotos finds the filmmaker re-teaming with actress Penélope Cruz and working on a canvas much broader than those of his previous outings, in terms of genres covered, narrative scope, and duration. Lluís Homar stars as the former Mateo Blanco, a screenwriter and ex-director who changed his name to Harry Caine after losing his sight in an automobile accident. A past scandal suddenly resurfaces when the news arrives that the producer of one of Harry's old movies ("Girls and Suitcases"), a corrupt stockbroker named Ernesto Martel (José Luis Gómez), has died. For mysterious reasons, this makes Harry's ex-production manager Judit (Blanca Portillo) nervous; then Ernesto's son, Ray X (Rubén Ochandiano), turns up and asks Harry to help him write a vindictive script to get back at his vile father. The film subsequently flashes back to the early '90s, when Martel became involved with his secretary, Lena (Cruz), but Mateo also began to develop feelings for her, and auditioned her for "Girls and Suitcases." In response to Mateo's interest in Lena (and her burgeoning interest in him), the jealous Martel commissioned Ray to make a documentary about the making of "Girls and Suitcases" as an excuse to spy on the director and star. This enabled him to watch Mateo spiriting off with Lena right under his nose, and set the stage for the wily producer's elaborate revenge against Mateo. As this synopsis suggests, Almodóvar uses a tricky structure laden with flashbacks to both comment on and explain the events of the present; he also interweaves a noirish sensibility throughout the picture that marks something of a first for this director. ~ Nathan Southern, All Movie Guide

A psychiatrist must take some time off from helping others as he tries to come to term with his own troubles in this subtle comedy-drama. Miguel (Sergi Lope) is an analyst whose wife Sara (Marcela Wallerstein) has left him for another man; to add insult to injury, Miguel learns that his wife's new lover happens to be his father. Meanwhile, Sara's mother Elvira (Maria Jose Alfonso) has arrived in town for a visit, and with Sara out of town, Miguel has to pick her up from the airport and play host at a time when he would prefer not to have any visitors. As Miguel turns to his assistant Carola (Geli Albaladejo) for help, he discovers that Paquito (Javier Dorado), one of his patients, has run off his wallet. Miguel sets out to find Paquito, but reaches a dead end with his sister Jasmina (Mariola Fuentes), who has the wallet but has already spent Miguel's money. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

This Spanish-French co-production is another in Haut & Court's series of French features interlinked with an "end of the Millennium" theme. On New Year's Eve 1999, social worker Manuel (Juanjo Martinez) and his pregnant wife Paloma (Leonor Watling) leave for a party without knowing that Paloma's father (Emilio Gutierrez Caba) is coming over to give them a ride. His car is stolen by slow-witted Litri (Roberto Hernandez) and his pal Johny (Carlos Fuentes), who intends to use the vehicle to impress his girlfriend Jasmina (Mariola Fuentes). However, Jasmina, waiting at a phone booth, meets Paloma's dad, so Johny gets an unexpected surprise when he pulls up in the car. Elsewhere, two female workers at an all-night gas station have romantic fantasies about their customers. Shot on locations in Madrid, the Lucio Godoy soundtrack score features French-style accordion music. Shown at the 1998 Malaga Film Festival. ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide

As it lays rusted and burning (thanks to the bored young punks who set it ablaze) in a grungy urban town square, a once-glorious white 1959 Chevrolet recounts its life story. Thus begins the film that marked the return of noted Spanish journalist, novelist and occasional filmmaker Javier Maqua to feature-film directing after a 17-year absence. Hard case drug dealer Brujas takes up residence in the lonely car. His only real friend is Gaspar, a former movie director for whom Brujas once worked. Gaspar suffers from similar hardships and works as a rat catcher at a nearby church. Together the two revere the Chevy as a symbol of their earlier affluence. Lucia is a middle-aged streetwalker who befriends the two and shares her dream of marrying an African immigrant who lives in the neighborhood. Trouble comes in the form of Turk, the local crime lord who wants to collect on a debt owed to him by Brujas. The first parts of the film are quite slow-paced, but matters become more exciting when a group of violent Neo Nazis show up and murder a friend of Lucia's. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide