On Monday 17 March, Madrid hosted the first day of the shoot for Mägo de Oz. La película, directed by Uruguayan helmer Álvaro Brechner, winner of the Goya Award for Best Adapted Screenplay for A Twelve-Year Night [+leggi anche:
recensione
trailer
intervista: Álvaro Brechner
scheda film] (premiered in the Orizzonti section of Venice), and the director of Bad Day to Go Fishing [+leggi anche:
trailer
scheda film], which was presented in the Cannes Critics’ Week, as well as the comedy Mr. Kaplan [+leggi anche:
trailer
scheda film]. The shoot for this production by Eterno Island Pictures, a subsidiary of El Sueño Eterno Pictures, will take place over 12 weeks, and after the Spanish capital, principal photography will shift to the Canary Islands, with the aim being to bring the epic story of the titular iconic Spanish folk-metal band to the big screen.

The director stated: “It’s an ambitious project, not just because of the long shoot, but also because we’re mixing grand concert scenes with more introspective moments. Directing something like this is like creating a symphony: there are movements and moments to suit all tastes.”

The movie, with a screenplay by Sofía Cuenca and production duties handled by Patricia González, promises to immerse the viewer in the band’s evolution, from its early days to its confident performances on international stages. “What excites me most about this film is that it has the sheer power of a live concert, but with the introspection and the visual language that only cinema can offer. It’s a story about artistic creation and the contradictions that rear their heads when we try to do something extraordinary. I hope it will thrill both rock fans and those in search of a profoundly human story,” remarked Brechner.

The cast set to breathe life into the band members is made up of Adrián Lastra (Goya-nominated for Cousinhood [+leggi anche:
trailer
scheda film] and seen recently in the comedy Matusalén [+leggi anche:
trailer
scheda film]), Adrià Mondaray (Blood Room), Chilean actor Jorge López (the series Elite and Bellas Artes [+leggi anche:
recensione
scheda series]), Carlos “Nene” Librado (Operación Camarón [+leggi anche:
trailer
scheda film]), Jon Arias (the series The Day of the Jackal), Guillermo Furiase, Luis Bondía, José Sospedra and Marc Parejo. The players are rounded off by Mexican actress Michelle Renaud, Roberto Álamo (a Goya winner for May God Save Us [+leggi anche:
recensione
trailer
intervista: Rodrigo Sorogoyen
scheda film] and Family United [+leggi anche:
trailer
making of
scheda film], appearing in this year’s The Captive [+leggi anche:
trailer
scheda film]), Antonio Dechent (Goya-nominated for Intacto, glimpsed recently in Close Your Eyes [+leggi anche:
recensione
trailer
scheda film]), Eduardo Velasco, Neus Sanz and Felipe García Vélez.

Mägo de Oz, a band started in Madrid in 1988 by Txus di Fellatio, plays a fusion of heavy metal and Celtic folk. They cemented their success with albums of the likes of La leyenda de La Mancha (1998) and Finisterra (2000). Over their 30-year career, the group has released 20 albums, sold more than two million copies and picked up various awards, such as 11 gold records, two platinum records and a nomination for the Latin Grammy Awards. Their Gaia trilogy saw them garner even more international attention. In 2008, they earned themselves a diamond record in recognition of selling over one million copies in Spain, and their success has even reached Latin America, where they have topped the music charts. They continue to be adored by legions of fans.