Alberto Jiménez

Suburban ennui manifests itself in a disturbing manner in this black comedy from Spain. Berta (Silvia Marso) and Esteban (Alberto Jimenez) are a couple living in an upscale planned community with their children Oliver (Samuel Viyuela Gonzalez) and Lucia (Andrea Blasco Sierra). While on the surface Berta and Esteban seem happy and successful, in truth they're both suffering from depression, anxiety and loss of sexual appetite, and their children are becoming as neurotic as their folks. One day, a dead bird drops from the sky and lands at Berta's feet; she panics and warns the kids to stay away from the street where it happened, through Oliver sneaks out to rescue the bird's corpse. Living down the street are Hugo (Eduardo Blanco) and Monica (Claudia Fontan), who want their neighbors to think they're wealthy even though they're nearly broke, and while their friends think they've sent their daughter Greta (Ines Aldea) to an exclusive private school in America, she's actually locked up in the house and forbidden to show herself. Birds continue to turn up dead around the neighborhood, and Hugo and Esteban take it upon themselves to find out what's killing them when they aren't busy spying on a pair of teenage girls living close by. Pajaros Muertos (aka Dead Birds) was the first feature film from the sibling directing team of Guillermo Sempere and Jorge Sempere. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

The unlikely romance between the Devil and a Spanish television journalist proves the catalyst for a series of incredible stories from director/screenwriter Pablo Llorca. Just a few years ago, the Devil fell deeply in love with television newswoman Almudena after the pair had a chance encounter in Beruit. Later, despite the fact that the pair had an unforgettable first date together and Almudena was indeed smitten by her infernal suitor, Old Scratch got cold feet when it came time to get serious. Years have passed since that fateful encounter though, and now the Devil is keen on recapturing his mortal soul mate. But Almudena has settled down a bit these days, and a complicated romance with the Prince of Darkness just might not be in the cards anymore. Now, if the Devil wants to make up for lost time, he's going to have to turn on the charm like never before. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide

Two of the most talented figures in contemporary Spanish cinema -- actor Javier Bardem and director Alejandro Amenábar -- collaborate for this powerful drama, based on a true story. Ramón Sampedro (Javier Bardem) was a fisherman and part-time poet who, at the age of 26, suffered an accident while diving that left him a bedridden quadriplegic. Now 54, Ramón must depend on his family to survive -- his macho brother José (Celso Bugallo), José's wife, Manuela (Mabel Rivera), and their son, Javi (Tamar Novas). While grateful to his family and friends for their help, Ramón was always an active person, and as the years wore on, he has come to see his life as frustrating and pointless and wishes to die with what remains of his dignity. José, however, is bitterly opposed to the notion of assisted suicide, and Spanish laws would implicate anyone who helped Ramón end his own life, which is something Ramón does not want to do. Through Gené (Carla Segura), a friend who works with a "Right to Die" organization, Ramón is introduced to Julia (Belen Rueda), a lawyer he hopes will help him persuade the courts to let him end his own life. Julia is dealing with her own mortality issues since being diagnosed with a degenerative disease, and Ramón hopes her condition will make her arguments more persuasive. As Ramón and Julia work together on his case and help to prepare a book of his poems for publication, Ramón finds himself falling in love with his attorney, who happens to be married, but while his infatuation gives Julia second thoughts about the case, Ramón remains convinced that the greatest gift to him would be an end to his life. Javier Bardem's performance in The Sea Inside (aka Mar Adentro) earned him the Best Actor award at the 2004 Venice Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

Spanish director Imanol Uribe examines social upheaval as it relates to a young prepubescent's life in his 2002 coming-of-age tale Carol's Journey. Twelve-year-old Carol (Clara Lago) is accompanying her mother Aurora (Maria Barranco) to Spain to visit her mother's native village as the Civil War is tearing the nation apart. Carol's life is an emotional roller coaster, as her American-born father -- with whom she is extremely close -- has been away for quite some time, serving as a pilot in the International Brigades. Furthermore, Aurora recently received a terminal diagnosis for the illness she has been battling and could die at any moment. As Carol struggles with these issues as well as the acceptance of the new environment she has been cast into, she gains perspective from her gentle grandfather Amalio (Alvaro de Luna) and the village teacher Maruja (Rosa Maria Sarda), as well as an unexpected first love with local boy Tomiche (Juan Jose Ballesta). Adapted from Angel Garcia Roldan's novel A boca de noche, Carol's Journey was an official selection to the 2002 Montreal World Film Festival. ~ Ryan Shriver, All Movie Guide

A good woman falls for a bad man and is at once unwilling and unable to break free in this intense drama. Rosa (Isabel Ampudia) is an attractive and sensible woman who waits tables at a coffee shop; she's engaged to be married, and she and her fiancé are saving their money with an eye toward buying a market. One day, Rosa meets a handsome man named Ivan (Alberto Jimenez), and all her plans go out the window; Rosa is immediately attracted to him, and once she's gone to bed with him, she leaves her fiancé behind without looking back. Rosa and Ivan go into business together running a bar, but she soon discovers that beneath his glossy surface, Ivan is a louse -- he's unfaithful, throws their money away, sells drugs on the side, and gambles compulsively. But Rosa is as addicted to Ivan as he is to games of chance, and no matter what he does, she's willing to pay his bills and take him back, becoming more deeply obsessed the more he hurts her. In time, Ivan has run up debts so high that Rosa opens a brothel to pay off the bills; in the process, Rosa becomes a shrewd business woman and independently wealthy, but she still can't bring herself to walk away from Ivan. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

A boy from an abusive home finds a new lease on life through friendship in this drama from Spain. Pablo (Juan Jose Ballesta) is a 12-year-old boy growing up in an underprivileged neighborhood in Madrid. Pablo doesn't have many friends, and his home life is not happy -- his father Mariano (Manuel Maron) often beats him, and his mother Aurora (Golria Munoz) doesn't know what to do about it. Alfredo (Pablo Galan) is a new boy in town who has just enrolled in Pablo's class at school; Pablo and Alfredo strike up an immediate friendship, and Pablo feels comfortable with Alfredo's family, particularly his father Jose (Alberto Gimenez), who draws tattoos for a living, and his mother Marisa (Nieve de Medina). Alfredo's godfather has been hospitalized with AIDS-related illnesses, and when Alfredo goes to visit him, Pablo tags along, which angers Mariano and leads to another violent episode. Alfredo notices Pablo's bruises and tells his parents, and Jose enlists a social worker, Laura (Ana Wagener), to help find a safer environment for the boy. El Bola was produced in association with UNICEF. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide