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PRODUCTION Spain / Argentina

Alejandro Amenábar starts the shoot for While at War

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- Karra Elejalde plays author Miguel de Unamuno in the new film by the director of Agora, principal photography for which kicks off today in Salamanca

Alejandro Amenábar starts the shoot for While at War
Karra Elejalde in character as Miguel de Unamuno on the set of While at war

Alejandro Amenábar has not shot in the Spanish language since The Sea Inside [+see also:
trailer
film profile
]
, a film that earned him an Oscar in 2005, as his subsequent efforts Agora [+see also:
trailer
film profile
]
 and Regression [+see also:
film review
trailer
making of
interview: Alejandro Amenábar
film profile
]
 were filmed in English and featured a cast of Hollywood stars. However, the shoot for While at War [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Alejandro Amenábar
film profile
]
, his seventh feature, kicks off today in the beautiful city of Salamanca, and its main character is the historical figure Miguel de Unamuno. Breathing life into the Bilbao-born author and university rector on screen this time (the last person to do so was José Luis Gómez in La isla del viento [+see also:
trailer
film profile
]
) is Basque actor Karra Elejalde, who is flanked by Eduard Fernández, Nathalie Poza (Goya Award for Best Actress in 2017 for Can’t Say Goodbye [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Lino Escalera
film profile
]
) and Santi Prego.

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With a screenplay by Amenábar and Alejandro Hernández (1898, Our Last Men in the Philippines [+see also:
trailer
film profile
]
), While at War depicts the last six months of Unamuno’s life, beginning in summer 1936, when the writer decides to support the military uprising that promises to restore order to the tumultuous situation in Spain. He is immediately removed from his position as rector of the University of Salamanca by the Republican government. Meanwhile, General Franco manages to dispatch his troops to the front between the rebel and Republican territories, and begins a successful campaign in the secret hope of taking sole command of the war. But the conflict takes a bloody turn, and this, coupled with the imprisonment of some of his colleagues, makes the author of Aunt Tula start to question his initial stance and reconsider his principles. When Franco moves his barracks to Salamanca and is proclaimed Head of State of the rebel territory, the philosopher will make his way to his palace, intent on making a request...

“This project is very special for me because it’s about a true story that, despite portraying Spain’s past, talks in a very direct way about its present,” says the director. Patricia LópezLuis ZaheraLuis BermejoInma CuevasMireia ReyTito ValverdeLuis CallejoCarlos Serrano-ClarkAinhoa SantamaríaItziar Aizpuru and Pep Tosar round off the cast of this huge production that boasts a major-league crew: Sonia Grande (who has worked with Woody Allen on several occasions) is in charge of the costume design, Álex Catalán (winner of the Goya Award for Marshland [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Alberto Rodríguez
film profile
]
) is serving as DoP, and Juan Pedro de Gaspar (The Queen of Spain [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Fernando Trueba
film profile
]
) is overseeing the production design.

While at War, which will be filmed over the course of eight weeks in Toledo and Madrid, is a production by Movistar Plus+MOD ProduccionesHimenóptero (Amenábar’s own company), K&S Films (an Argentinian production outfit that has just presented another Spanish co-production, The Angel [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile
]
, at Cannes) and Mientras dure la guerra AIE, with backing from the ICAA (Ministry of Culture). Film Factory Entertainment is acting as its sales agent, and it will be distributed by Buena Vista International.

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(Translated from Spanish)

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