The Barcelona Vampiress

The Barcelona Vampiress (Catalan: La vampira de Barcelona) is a 2020 Spanish historical thriller film directed by Lluís Danés [ca] which stars Nora Navas as the title character and Roger Casamajor alongside Bruna Cusí, Francesc Orella, Sergi López, Mario Gas, and Núria Prims. It is shot in Catalan.

The Barcelona Vampiress
Theatrical release poster
CatalanLa vampira de Barcelona
Directed byLluís Danés
Screenplay by
  • Maria Jaén
  • Lluís A. Martínez
Produced byRaimon Masllorens
Starring
CinematographyJosep Maria Civit
Music byAlfred Tapscott
Production
companies
Distributed byFilmax
Release dates
  • October 2020 (2020-10) (Sitges)
  • 4 December 2020 (2020-12-04) (Spain)
CountrySpain
LanguageCatalan

Plot edit

Set in 1912 Barcelona, the plot concerns about the endeavours of morphine-addicted journalist Sebastià Comas to unravel the truth about the kidnappings and killings of children scapegoated by the police to Enriqueta Martí, nicknamed as the "Vampire of the Raval".[1]

Cast edit

Production edit

The screenplay was penned by Maria Jaén and Lluís A. Martínez.[3] The film is a Brutal Media and Filmax production, with the participation of TVC.[4]

Release edit

The film was presented at the 53rd Sitges Film Festival in October 2020.[5] Distributed by Filmax,[6] the film was theatrically released in Spain on 4 December 2020.

Reception edit

Javier Ocaña of El País deemed the film to be "an ambitious, sometimes grandiloquent work, which always comes to fruition with courage and singularity" when retelling the events of 1912, managing to portray a country's moral mysery.[7]

Toni Vall of Cinemanía rated the film 2½ out of 5 stars, pointing out that the cast was "uneven", featuring "a solvent but not brilliant [male] lead", with Danés otherwise rather pulling his best in the representation of the setting (El Raval).[8]

Accolades edit

Year Award Category Nominee(s) Result Ref.
2021 13th Gaudí Awards Best Film Won [9]
Best Director Lluís Danés Nominated
Best Actress Nora Navas Nominated
Best Production Supervision David Masllorens i Silva Nominated
Best Art Direction Lluís Danés Won
Best Supporting Actress Bruna Cusí Nominated
Núria Prims Nominated
Best Supporting Actor Francesc Orella Nominated
Best Original Music Alfred Tapscott Nominated
Best Cinematography Josep M. Civit Nominated
Best Costume Design Mercè Paloma Won
Best Sound Daniela Fermín, Quique López, Carlos Jiménez Nominated
Best Visual Effects Lluís Rivera, Aleix Torrecillas, Anna Aragonès Won
Best Makeup and Hairstyles Laura Pérez, Xavi Valverde Won

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ a b c d Úbeda-Portugués, Alberto (1 December 2020). "Los estrenos del 4 de diciembre. 'La vampira de Barcelona'. Submundos de perversión". Aisge.
  2. ^ a b c d e f "S'estrena el thriller d'època i coproducció de TV3 "La vampira de Barcelona"". Corporació Catalana de Mitjans Audiovisuals. 22 December 2021.
  3. ^ ""La vampira de Barcelona" gana el premio Gaudí a la Mejor Película". EFE. 21 March 2021.
  4. ^ Silvestre, Juan (22 March 2021). "Premios Gaudí 2021: todos los ganadores". Fotogramas.
  5. ^ García, Julián (9 October 2020). "'La vampira de Barcelona': la verdad sobre la asesina de niños Enriqueta Martí". El Periódico de Catalunya.
  6. ^ "'La Vampira de Barcelona' – estreno en cines 4 de diciembre". Audiovisual451. 4 December 2020.
  7. ^ Ocaña, Javier (4 December 2020). "La miseria moral". El País.
  8. ^ Vall, Toni (4 December 2020). "La vampira de Barcelona". Cinemanía – via 20minutos.es.
  9. ^ "Consulteu tots els guanyadors de la tretzena edició dels premis Gaudí". VilaWeb. 21 March 2021.