Manuel Martin Cuenca Movies

A reunion with his family provides a clue into the cause of one man's lonely life in this drama from filmmaker Manuel Martin Cuenca. Oscar (Saenz de Heredia) lives in a barren section of Almeria, Spain, where he works as a guard at a salt mine. Oscar's days are governed by a monotonous routine: he goes to work, has lunch with fellow guard Miguel (Manuel Martinez Roca), finishes work, visits his dying grandfather (Salvador Gavilan Ramos) at a hospice, and then goes home. While he sometimes spends his evenings with a woman, it's clear their relationship is not a close one. One day, Oscar gets word that grandfather has been transferred to a hospital, and his sister Maria (Veronica Echegui), who now lives in Paris, comes to Almeria to pay the old man a visit. Maria, who is expecting a baby, is accompanied by her boyfriend Jean (Denis Eyriey), who tries to keep a distance between the two siblings. It becomes clear that Oscar and Maria share an ugly secret that she wants to keep hidden at all costs, leading to an grim tension that grows between her and her brother. La Mitad de Oscar (aka Half of Oscar) was an official selection at the 2010 Toronto International Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

Manuel Martin Cuenca's La Flaqueza Del Bolchevique (The Weakness of the Bolshevik) is a psychological drama about two people who become involved in an intense relationship. Bitter banker Pablo (Luis Tosar) has a fender bender with the wealthy, conceited Sonsoles (Mar Regueras). He attempts to pick her up, but she ends up filing a claim against him. Consumed with anger, Pablo begins following her and sees her with her 15-year old sister Maria (Maria Valverde). He quickly becomes obsessed with Maria, believing she represents all the best parts of him that he has abandoned in order to become a successful businessman. Nathalie Poza rounds out the cast as a co-worker with whom Pablo is involved sexually, but not emotionally. The film was screened at the 2003 San Sebastian Film Festival. ~ Perry Seibert, Rovi