21/04/2006

The rumours have been confirmed: Pedro Almodóvar will be back on the Croisette but, unlike with his previous title Bad Education [+see also:
trailer
film profile] – which was presented out of competition two years ago – his new comedy Volver [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Agustín Almodóvar
interview: Carmen Maura
interview: Pedro Almodóvar
interview: Pénélope Cruz
film profile] (see Focus) will this time compete for the Golden Palm at the world most prestigious film festival.

Released on March 17, Volver adds a new hit to the El Deseo slate. According to figures recently published by ICAM, the film had already generated nearly 800,000 admissions and grossed just over €4m, making it a box office success that has been generally been well received by Spanish critics. The two-time Oscar-winner has never won a Golden Palm but did receive the Cannes Best Director award in 1999 for All About My Mother.

Volver is not, however, the only Spanish title in the official competition. Mexican director Guillermo del Toro is also in the running with Pan's Labyrinth [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile], a co-production between Mexico's Tequila Gang and Spain's Estudio Picasso with the participation of TV channel Telecinco. The film, starring Spanish stars Sergi López (Dirty Pretty Things) and Maribel Verdú (Y tu mama también) is being sold internationally by France's Wild Bunch.

Lastly, Catalan director Manuel Huerga will be present in the Un Certain Regard section with his highly anticipated second film Salvador [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile], based on the life of anarchist Salvador Puig Antich, who was executed in 1974. The film, starring German actor Daniel Brühl, Leonor Watling, Celso Bugallo and Leonardo Sbaraglia, was produced by Jaume Roure for MediaPro.