Camarón: When Flamenco Became Legend

Camarón: When Flamenco Became Legend (Spanish: Camarón: la película) is a 2005 Spanish biopic film directed by Jaime Chávarri from a screenplay by Chávarri and Álvaro del Amo which stars Óscar Jaenada as Camarón de la Isla along with Verónica Sánchez.

Camarón: When Flamenco Became Legend
Theatrical release poster
SpanishCamarón: la película
Directed byJaime Chávarri
Screenplay by
Produced byMiguel Menéndez de Zubillaga
Starring
CinematographyGonzalo Berridi
Edited byPablo Blanco
Production
companies
  • Monoria Films
  • Filmanova Invest
Distributed byBuena Vista International
Release dates
  • 18 September 2005 (2005-09-18) (Zinemaldia)
  • 4 November 2005 (2005-11-04) (Spain)
CountrySpain
LanguageSpanish

Plot edit

The plot is a fictionalised version of the life of flamenco singer José Monge Cruz, aka "Camarón de la Isla", depicting his artistic rise and early physical decline.[1]

Cast edit

Production edit

Produced by Monoria Films and Filmanova Invest, the film had the participation of TVE and Telemadrid.[3] Shooting locations included San Fernando.[4]

Release edit

The film screened at the 53rd San Sebastián International Film Festival in September 2005.[5] Distributed by Buena Vista International,[3] it was theatrically released in Spain on 4 November 2005.

Reception edit

Jonathan Holland of Variety considered that, only "redeemed only by a committed perf from young Oscar Jaenada, a few late flourishes and some, but not enough, terrific music", the "predictable" biopic "is hardly the passionate tribute [Camarón de la Isla's] daring genius deserves", seal of approval from his family notwithstanding.[3]

Javier Ocaña of El País noted that whilst the depiction of the facet of the artist's biography pertaining his toxicomania is harmed in the fiction because of certain red lines set by his family, other sides of the film work, both from a purely artistic standpoint, acting-wise, and vis-à-vis the personality of Camarón.[6]

Accolades edit

Year Award Category Nominee(s) Result Ref.
2006 20th Goya Awards Best Actor Óscar Jaenada Won [7]
Best Supporting Actress Verónica Sánchez Nominated
Best Production Supervision Tino Pont Nominated
Best Costume Design María José Iglesias Won
Best Makeup and Hairstyles Josefa Morales, Romana González Won
15th Actors and Actresses Union Awards Best Film Actor in a Leading Role Óscar Jaenada Nominated [8][9]

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ "Chávarri quita las sombras a la leyenda de Camarón". El Periódico Extremadura. Prensa Ibérica. 30 October 2005.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Camarón". El Mundo. Retrieved 13 November 2022.
  3. ^ a b c d Holland, Jonathan (25 September 2005). "Camaron". Variety.
  4. ^ "El director Jaime Chávarri inicia en San Fernando el rodaje de su film sobre José Monge Cruz, 'Camarón, un mito'". Europa Press. 19 April 2005.
  5. ^ Rodríguez Marchante, E. (19 September 2005). ""7 vírgenes", una mezcla muy andaluza y tragicómica de Rinconete y Lorca". ABC.
  6. ^ Ocaña, Javier (4 November 2005). "Un niño chico". El País.
  7. ^ "Camarón: la película". premiosgoya.com. Academia de las Artes y las Ciencias Cinematográficas de España. Retrieved 13 November 2022.
  8. ^ "Belén Rueda, Imanol Arias y José Luis Gil optan a los Premios Unión de Actores". verTele!. 31 March 2006 – via eldiario.es.
  9. ^ "Manuel Alexandre y Candela Peña, premiados por la Unión de Actores en la categoría de cine". El País. 30 May 2006.