Álex de la Iglesia shoots the thriller La cuidadora
- Carmen Maura and Blanca Suárez reunite under the direction of the Bilbao-born filmmaker, joined by Marta Hazas, Asier Etxeandia and David Comrie in this Pokeepsie Films production for Netflix
Netflix has announced the start of filming for La cuidadora by Álex de la Iglesia, director, screenwriter and producer whose extensive career includes titles such as El día de la bestia (winner of six Goya awards, the only ones he has won to date), The Last Circus [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Álex de la Iglesia
film profile] (awarded Best Director and Best Screenplay at the Venice Film Festival and two Goyas), and more recent works including the film El cuarto pasajero [+see also:
trailer
film profile] and the miniseries, also on Netflix, 1992 [+see also:
trailer
series profile]. Filming of his new film, shot in 35 mm, began this week in Madrid and will continue until mid-July.
Actress Carmen Maura (winner of the Best Actress Award at Cannes for Volver [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Agustín Almodóvar
interview: Carmen Maura
interview: Pedro Almodóvar
interview: Pénélope Cruz
film profile] and winner of four Goya Awards, including one for her previous collaboration with the Basque filmmaker, La comunidad, for which also earned her the Silver Shell for Best Actress at San Sebastián) leads the cast of this mystery film alongside Blanca Suárez (who we saw in I’m So Excited [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] and recently in The Cavern Crimes and the series Respira, and who has previously worked with de la Iglesia in The Bar [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Alex de la Iglesia
film profile], My Big Night [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] and El cuarto pasajero). They are supported by Marta Hazas (the series Alpha Males and La vida breve), Asier Etxeandia (Pain & Glory [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Antonio Banderas
Q&A: Pedro Almodóvar
film profile], Teresa [+see also:
film review
film profile], the series Red Sky) and David Comrie (a Panamanian actor with a background in musicals such as The Lion King and Aladdin, who has also appeared in series such as 30 Coins [+see also:
series review
series profile], by de la Iglesia himself).
The script, written by Jelen Morales (screenwriter of feature films Un mal día lo tiene cualquiera and La pequeña Suiza [+see also:
trailer
film profile]) and Álex de la Iglesia, tells the story of Carmen, an 80-year-old widow (played by Carmen Maura), who suffers an accident at home. As a result, her daughter Lourdes (Marta Hazas) decides to hire a carer to help her with her everyday tasks. Accustomed to living alone, Carmen rejects every candidate feeling their presence to be an intrusion into her home. This refusal drives her daughter to despair, as her life is affected by the constant care her mother requires. The exhausting parade of carers begins to take a toll on Lourdes' marriage. Her husband, Mario (Asier Etxeandia), is forced to turn down an important job offer. Frustrated with the cycle of interviewing, hiring, and firing, Lourdes argues with her mother, which makes her feel guilty. Just when it seems that no one will ever be suitable, Blanca (Blanca Suárez) arrives, angelic in appearance, as she is kind, efficient and capable. But things are not as they seem, as Blanca is hiding a secret that will change Carmen's life forever.
La cuidadora is a production by Carolina Bang and Álex de la Iglesia for Pokeepsie Films (part of the Banijay Iberia group).
(Translated from Spanish)
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