Soldiers of Salamina (Spanish: Soldados de Salamina) is a 2003 Spanish drama film written, directed and edited by David Trueba, based on the novel Soldiers of Salamis by Javier Cercas. It stars Ariadna Gil and Ramón Fontserè alongside Joan Dalmau, María Botto and Diego Luna. The film was nominated for eight Goya Awards in 2004, and won the award for Best Cinematography. It was selected as the Spanish entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 76th Academy Awards, but it was not nominated.
| Soldiers of Salamina | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Spanish | Soldados de Salamina |
| Directed by | David Trueba |
| Screenplay by | David Trueba |
| Based on | Soldiers of Salamis by Javier Cercas |
| Produced by |
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| Starring |
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| Cinematography | Javier Aguirresarobe |
| Edited by | David Trueba |
Production companies |
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| Distributed by | Lolafilms |
Release date |
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Running time | 119 minutes |
| Country | Spain |
| Languages |
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Plot edit
Lola, a novelist who has abandoned her writing career, tracks down the details of a true story from the last days of the Spanish Civil War. The writer and Falangist honcho Rafael Sánchez Mazas faced a firing squad along with fifty other prisoners, but managed to escape into the woods. A Republican soldier, apparently one of those searching the area for the escaped prisoner, found him but allowed him to escape. The novelist pieces together the fragments of the story, plagued by contradictions and mysterious characters, and comes to realize that her search for the truth is a personal quest of self-discovery.
Cast edit
- Ariadna Gil as Lola Cercas[1]
- Ramon Fontserè as Rafael Sánchez Mazas[2]
- Joan Dalmau as Miralles[2]
- María Botto as Conchi[2]
- Diego Luna as Gastón Elquiza[3]
- Alberto Ferreiro as Joven miliciano[2]
- Luis Cuenca as Padre de Lola
- Lluís X. Villanueva as Miquel Aguirre
- Julio Manrique as Pere Figueras
- Ivan Massagué as Quim Figueras (20 años)
- Bruno Bergonzini as Daniel Angelats (20 años)
- Joaquín Notario as Capitán Collell
- Merche Mar as Luz
- Eric Caravaca as Camarero Dijon
- Vahina Giocante as Assistante Social Dijon
Production edit
An adaptation of the 2001 novel Soldiers of Salamis by Javier Cercas, the screenplay was penned by Trueba.[4] In the transfer from novel to film, the character of Javier Cercas becomes Lola Cercas (changing the gender of the lead character) and Chilean writer Roberto Bolaño is replaced by Gastón Elquiza, a Mexican university student with a family background of exiles of the Spanish civil war.[5] The film is a Lolafilms and Fernando Trueba PC production.[2] Shooting locations included Girona, Catalonia.[6]
Release edit
Distributed by Lolafilms,[7] the film was theatrically released in Spain on 21 March 2003.[8][2] It was also screened in the Un Certain Regard section at the 56th Cannes Film Festival in May 2003.[9]
Accolades edit
| Year | Award | Category | Nominee(s) | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | 18th Goya Awards | Best Film | Nominated | [10] | |
| Best Director | David Trueba | Nominated | |||
| Best Adapted Screenplay | David Trueba | Nominated | |||
| Best Actress | Ariadna Gil | Nominated | |||
| Best Supporting Actress | María Botto | Nominated | |||
| Best Supporting Actor | Joan Dalmau | Nominated | |||
| Best Cinematography | Javier Aguirresarobe | Won | |||
| Best Special Effects | Pedro Moreno, Alfonso Nieto, Emilio Ruiz del Río | Nominated | |||
| 13th Actors and Actresses Union Awards | Best Film Actress in a Secondary Role | María Botto | Nominated | [11][12] | |
| Best Film Actor in a Secondary Role | Joan Dalmau | Nominated | |||
See also edit
References edit
- ^ García Reyes 2020, p. 278.
- ^ a b c d e f Sánchez de Ocaña, Elisa (2003). "De la novela a la pantalla. Soldados de Salamina, de Javier Cercas y David Trueba". Filmhistoria. 13 (3). Barcelona: Universidad de Barcelona. ISSN 2014-668X.
- ^ García Reyes, David (2020). "Reescrituras en Soldados de Salamina o las sendas de la memoria: Desplazamientos de la literatura en el cine y en la narración figurativa". Trasvases Entre la Literatura y el Cine (2). Málaga: UMA Editorial: 280. doi:10.24310/Trasvasestlc.vi2.9191. ISSN 2695-639X. S2CID 230647616.
- ^ Faulkner, Sally (2008). "Lola Cercas en Soldados de Salamina (David Trueba, 2003)" (PDF). HAOL (15): 167. ISSN 1696-2060.
- ^ García Reyes 2020, pp. 278–280.
- ^ Gómez, Sergio (11 April 2018). "¿Sabes qué películas se rodaron en Girona?". Crónica Global – via El Español.
- ^ "Soldados de Salamina · España 2003". Biblioteca Virtual Miguel de Cervantes. Retrieved 8 June 2022.
- ^ ""Soldados de Salamina" se proyectará en el Festival de Cannes". abcplay. 29 April 2003 – via ABC.
- ^ "Festival de Cannes: Soldiers of Salamina". festival-cannes.com. Retrieved 2009-11-08.
- ^ "Soldados de Salamina". premiosgoya.com. Academia de las Artes y las Ciencias Cinematográficas de España. Retrieved 8 June 2022.
- ^ "Intérpretes nominados en los XIII Premios Unión de Actores". El Mundo. 11 May 2004.
- ^ Benito, Miren Lucía (11 May 2004). "'Aquí no hay quien viva' y 'Te doy mis ojos', grandes ganadoras en los Premios Unión de Actores". El Mundo.
