11/07/2025 - Chino Darín and Ester Expósito star in this independent psychological thriller, which also features Vicente Romero and Isak Ferriz, with a special guest appearance by Asier Etxeandía

Actors Chino Darín (© Maximilian Bühn) and Ester Expósito (© Pedro J Pacheco)

Filming will commence in Madrid on 1 September for Dante at Night, the new feature written and directed by Hugo Ruíz. The Zaragoza-born filmmaker won the Best New Narrative Director Award at the 2023 Tribeca Film Festival with his debut film, One Night with Adela [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Hugo Ruiz
film profile], starring Laura Galán.

On that occasion, as the title suggests, the action unfolded during the hours of darkness, and this new film is once again shrouded in night - both in title and plot. It tells the story of Eduardo, a friendly emergency medical technician who drives an ambulance on the night shift and responds to an urgent call: a man named Mario, connected to the city's underworld, is in critical condition at his home. When he arrives, Mario is already on his last legs, but before he dies, he draws Eduardo into a situation that becomes increasingly difficult for him to survive until morning with every passing second.

Argentinian actor Chino Darín (who we recently saw in the series Iron Reign and in the film Stories Not to Be Told [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Cesc Gay
film profile]) and Spanish actors Ester Expósito (The Wailing [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Pedro Martín-Calero, Isabel…
film profile], Venus [+see also:
trailer
film profile]), Vicente Romero (Barren Land, The 47) and Isak Ferriz (Devil Dog Road [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Guillermo Polo
film profile], We Treat Women Too Well [+see also:
trailer
film profile]) are the main actors, with a special appearance by 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]).

We spoke with Hugo Ruíz, who revealed that "everyone fell in love with this powerful script, which I had already written when One Night with Adela was released. But this is a completely different film - although it is part of a trilogy, as the two self-contained stories are briefly linked (read more) - and viewers will be stunned: it’s like a collision between Quentin Tarantino and quinqui cinema."

But why film in darkness again? “I believe I understand the night and am able to capture its essence,” the filmmaker continues. "But the next one, which I’ll shoot in 2026, is a drama that has nothing to do with night. It’s titled La quimera de Fortu and stars a homeless man. But we’ll actually be filming Dante at Night at night and another part on a set, since everything takes place around two in the morning. And this time it won't be a single-take shot, like One Night with Adela, because the story calls for a different narrative.”

"We're really happy, but it's been tough to get it off the ground, despite One Night with Adela winning an award at the Tribeca Film Festival. But with determination, hard work and a good script, it can be done. For example, Asier Etxeandia, who usually headlines, agreed to appear in just one scene. The same thing happened with the rest of the cast... because this new film, like my first, will make an impression," he concludes.

Dante at Night is an independent production by Hugo Ruiz, Kike Sánchez, Pedro Ramón y Cajal, Andrés Mendibouren, and Diego Mendoza for Gilda Productions. Jorge Redondo serves as executive producer; Manuel Ludeña is the art director; Teo Delgado, cinematographer; Alberto del Campo, editor; Cristian Amores, sound engineer; Remate, composer; Elena Cuevas, make-up artist and hair stylist; and Montse Sancho, costume designer.

(Translated from Spanish by Vicky York)