The King of Havana (Spanish: El rey de La Habana) is a 2015 Spanish-Dominican drama film directed by Agustí Villaronga which adapts Pedro Juan Gutiérrez's dirty realist novel El rey de La Habana.[1] It stars Maykol David Tortolo, Yordanka Ariosa and Héctor Medina. It is set in the Cuban capital during the Special Period.
| The King of Havana | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Spanish | El rey de La Habana |
| Directed by | Agustí Villaronga |
| Screenplay by | Agustí Villaronga |
| Based on | El rey de La Habana by Pedro Juan Gutiérrez |
| Produced by | Luisa Matienzo |
| Starring |
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| Cinematography | Josep Mª Civit |
| Edited by | Raúl Román |
| Music by | Joan Valent |
Production companies |
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| Distributed by | Filmax (es) |
Release dates |
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| Countries |
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| Language | Spanish |
Plot edit
Set in the Cuban capital during the Special Period,[2] Reynaldo ('Rey'), returns to his old home in the wake of his escape from a juvenile prison, and wanders around Old Havana, meeting with prostitutes Magda and Yunisleidi.[3]
Cast edit
- Maykol David Tortoló Cepeda as Reynaldo[4]
- Yordanka Ariosa as Magda[4]
- Héctor Medina as Yunisleidi[4]
- Chanel Terrero as Yamilé[5]
- Jonathan Maravilla as Cheo[5]
- Ileana Wilson as Fredesbinda[5]
- José María Sánchez as enterrador[5]
- Jean Luis Burgos[1]
- Lia Chapman[1]
- Celines Toribio[1]
- Jazz Vilá[1]
Production edit
A joint Spain-Dominican Republic co-production, the film was produced by Pandora Cinema, Tusitala, AIE El Rey de La Habana and Esencia Films.[6] Filming began on 16 April 2015 in the Dominican Republic and it had already wrapped by 4 May 2015.[7]
Release edit
The film screened at the 63rd San Sebastián International Film Festival on 23 September 2015.[2] Distributed by Filmax,[6] it opened in Spanish theatres on 16 October 2015.
Reception edit
Guy Lodge of Variety deemed the film to be "an unabashedly torrid urban melodrama that will enrapture or repel viewers — or, quite possibly, both — with its upfront, up-in-your-face excess".[3]
Neil Young of The Hollywood Reporter assessed the film to be "a two-hour immersion in poverty, squalor, sex, violence, prostitution and death", summing up as bottom line: "an extravagantly raunchy wallow in sordid poverty".[4]
Lee Marshall of ScreenDaily considered that the film, guilty of using "shock tactics for effect", "can't help but leave a bad taste in the mouth at the end of its entertainingly sensationalist two-hour ride".[8]
Jordi Costa of El País, wrote about the film's brutal story, in which "the small outbreaks of human warmth" "make the blunt and desperate outcome to have an outright annihilating effect.[1]
Accolades edit
| Year | Award | Category | Nominee(s) | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | 63rd San Sebastián International Film Festival | Silver Shell for Best Actress | Yordanka Ariosa | Won | [9] |
| 2016 | 8th Gaudí Awards | Best Non-Catalan language Film | Nominated | [10][11] | |
| Best Director | Agustí Villaronga | Nominated | |||
| Best Screenplay | Agustí Villaronga | Nominated | |||
| Best Production Supervision | Josep Amorós, Carla Jovine | Nominated | |||
| Best Art Direction | Alain Ortiz | Nominated | |||
| Best Editing | Raúl Román | Won | |||
| Best Original Score | Joan Valent | Won | |||
| Best Cinematography | Josep Maria Civit | Won | |||
| Best Costume Design | María Gil, Sonia Segura | Won | |||
| Best Sound | Fernando Novillo, Franklin Hernández, Ricard Galceran | Nominated | |||
| Best Visual Effects | Bernat Aragonés, Lluís Rivera | Nominated | |||
| Best Makeup and Hairstyles | Ainhoa Eskisabel | Nominated | |||
| 30th Goya Awards | Best Adapted Screenplay | Agustí Villaronga | Nominated | [12] | |
| Best New Actress | Yordanka Ariosa | Nominated | |||
| Best Cinematography | Josep Mª Civit | Nominated | |||
See also edit
References edit
- ^ a b c d e f Costa, Jordi (16 October 2015). "La vida Lumpen". El País.
- ^ a b Arribas, Alicia G. (24 September 2015). "El cine-realidad toma San Sebastián con 'El rey de la Habana' y 'Moira'". La Vanguardia.
- ^ a b Lodge, Guy (1 October 2015). "Film Review: 'The King of Havana'". Variety.
- ^ a b c d Young, Neil (28 September 2015). "'The King of Havana' ('El rey de La Habana'): San Sebastian Review". The Hollywood Reporter.
- ^ a b c d "Aquest divendres s'estrena "El rey de La Habana"". Corporació Catalana de Mitjans Audiovisuals. 16 October 2015.
- ^ a b "'El rey de La Habana' – estreno en cines 16 de octubre". Audiovisual451. 14 October 2015.
- ^ "Finaliza el rodaje de El rey de La Habana, la nueva película de Agustí Villaronga". Filmax. Retrieved 15 May 2022.
- ^ Marshall, Lee (23 September 2015). "'The King of Havana': Review". ScreenDaily.
- ^ "Yordanka Ariosa, Concha de Plata a la Mejor Actriz por su papel en 'El rey de La Habana'". Europa Press. 26 September 2015.
- ^ "Nominaciones a los Premios Gaudí 2016". Fotogramas. 30 December 2015.
- ^ "Todos los ganadores de los Gaudí 2016". El Periódico de Catalunya. 1 February 2016.
- ^ "El rey de La Habana". premiosgoya.com. Academia de las Artes y las Ciencias Cinematográficas de España. Retrieved 15 May 2022.
External links edit
- The King of Havana at ICAA's Catálogo de Cinespañol