Ventura Pons Movies

One of the most renowned directors of Catalan cinema, Ventura Pons explores the themes of aging, relationships and loyalties in a strong psychological drama which uses the will written by an ailing man as a catalyst for the true emotions of others to surface. Jaume Clara (Joseph Maria Pou), a professor of medieval literature, is getting old. Sensing that his time is near, he thinks back on his life and reflects on what he can leave behind for those he loves. He writes his will in essay form, loosely based on Ramon Llull's Book of Friends and the Beloved, and stores it in his computer. The reactions he provokes from the people involved are quite different than what he expected. His best friend Pere (Mario Gas) is disturbed by the will and thinks it must be Jaume's fear of death that has prompted him to write such a thing. David (David Selvas), his brightest student, refuses to be Jaume's heir at the expense of his freedom. Meanwhile, Pere is having family problems involving his wife and his daughter. Five people have to face up to the idea of Jaume's death, a painful process that does not spare anyone's feelings. As war breaks among the five, it is hard to know who are the winners and the losers. Pons weaves an intricate web of tragic relations and conflicts in this film, which was screened as part of the Panorama section of the 49th International Berlin Film Festival, 1999. ~ Gönül Dönmez-Colin, Rovi

A woman struggles to make sense of her life in this drama from Spanish filmmaker Ventura Pons. Anna (Maria Molins) has spent several years working in Africa as a nurse with a relief organization, but the experience has left her emotionally drained and she comes home to Spain and takes a job as part of the security team at an upscale private health clinic. Anna doesn't have much respect for either the staff or her patients, but she strikes up a friendship with Carducci (Albert Perez), a physical therapist who lets her stay in his trailer home. There's no romance in Anna's life until she meets Giro (Roger Coma), a patient with a checkered past who falls into a relationship with her, but despite their powerful sexual attraction, they know little about one another and Giro is in no hurry to reveal his past. Anna's relationship with Giro takes on a destructive quality as she struggles to find a place to stay without being harassed. A La Deriva (aka Drifting or Adrift) received its North American premiere at the 2010 Seattle International Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

An attractive, "modern" vicar and his uncle who is also a cleric, get involved in organizing a conference dedicated to "Catholic Sexology." The young vicar is drawn into the project against his will - he has his hand on the pulse of the marginated community in one way or another so that when the town prostitutes, out-of-town prostitutes, and gays from just about everywhere come to loudly protest what they see as an upcoming condemnation, he is not surprised. Somehow, he must pull off the conference without the major disruption that is looming high on the horizon. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, Rovi

The seeds of narrow-minded hatred that are planted in one family bear bitter fruit forty years later in this drama from director Ventura Pons. Josep (Manuel Barcelo) is arranging to take ownership of the home where his family lived when he was a child, and the experience causes him to look back on both the happy and painful experiences of his past. His mother Emma (Anna Lizaran) was often in poor health, but it didn't prevent her from ruling the family with an iron fist, as she looked after her stern husband Francesc (Joan Pera), free-spirited daughter Anna (Aida Oset) and young son Josep (Dafnis Balduz). Emma makes no secret of her prejudice against the Andalusians who are moving into the neighborhood, a situation aggravated by Anna's infatuation with a neighbor boy, Manuel (Roger Princep). Four decades later, Emma has passed on, but some things have changed remarkably little, as Francesc rails against the North African immigrants who have taken the place of the Andalusians in the community. Forasters (aka Outsiders) received its North American premiere at the 2009 Seattle International Film Festival; Anna Lizaran earned Best Actress honors at the 2009 Gaudi Awards, the Spanish film industry's equivalent to the Oscars. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

While searching about for their next "job," two unprofessional thieves hit on the scheme of kidnapping someone important for the ransom money. One of their confederates gets them to consider kidnapping a retired butcher. Imagine their chagrin when they discover that the butcher has no "official" money to be ransomed with, and that more than likely their confederate had them kidnap him for revenge. Now that he has disappeared, of course the police are called in to investigate. They discover piles of embezzled money and a plane ticket to another country among his possessions. It begins to look as though the kidnappers (who can barely support themselves) are stuck with him! ~ Clarke Fountain, Rovi

This lively Spanish anthology, based on a series of short stories by Catalan writer Quim Monzo, is comprised of 15 short vignettes that contain a series of comments concerning those human relationships based on love, emotions and sex. Each segment is introduced by a one word title card that is spoken by the players. Included are short conversations, monologues, mini-plays, two fantasy segments, and a one-sided telephone conversation. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi