Luis López Belda, a renowned audiovisual advocate and Professor of Communications at the University of Alicante, appears as a discerning “prescriber” of films in the annual Film Yearbook. The 2022 edition spotlights a significant moment for female directors, with a notable emphasis on Spanish cinema. López Belda, also the author of Provocative Hollywood: (Absolutely) No Movies To Make Today (2021) and Dictionary of 20th Century Hollywood Directors (2018), frames this guide around releases that were delayed in 2020 due to the pandemic and echoes a broader conversation about recovery. The Yearbook of 2021 asked if it marked a recovery; the 2022 edition builds on that idea.
The available volume runs to 154 pages and features more than a hundred films analyzed by the author, organized with navigational tabs that explore everything from plot and emotion to pacing and mood. The work is freely downloadable from the association’s website, or can be acquired by donation.
The most featured titles span a period from December 2021 to November 2022, distributed across commercial cinema (39), independent cinema (18), Spanish, European, and other international locales (31), and unseen yet promising releases (35). These titles are now accessible on streaming platforms, with clear notes indicating where they are hosted. The directory is intended to guide viewers through a cinematic maelstrom, acknowledging that not every event can be captured, but one can still understand much of what happened.
The cover, created by Flavia Bernárdez, hints at the design’s forward-looking nature, with illustrations from directors such as Alauda Ruiz de Azúa (Five Little Wolves), Pilar Palomero (Mom), Carla Simón (Alcarràs), Charlotte Pereda (Little Pig), and Elena López Riera from Alicante, alongside others like Sian Heder (Tales of the Code) and Olivia Wilde (Don’t Worry Darling).
2022 did not yield a wave of blockbuster films, yet it delivered compelling titles and a robust year for Spanish cinema. The focus was on directors, particularly Spaniards who launched their second or third features. The broader trend suggests progress in Spanish cinema, propelled by social change that enriches the art form. The analysis notes that while the gap between commercial spectacle and artistic achievement remains, the momentum is real and enduring.
Important topics
The year’s highest rated entry in the list is the Argentine film Argentina, 1985, alongside the animated short Windshield Wipers by Alberto Mielgo, both receiving high marks for their craft. The Argentine feature is praised for its meticulous reenactment of a real historical moment under a harsh regime, and for its concise, fifteen-minute impact. Other notable works include titles like 76%, Licorice Pizza, a nostalgic but shimmering piece by Paul Thomas Anderson, and Help, a stark depiction of a British nursing home during the darkest days of the pandemic.
Other highlighted films include American Barbarian, a psychological thriller that critiques gentrification and social policy, Red Rocket, a stark portrait of deep American attitudes, and The Florida Project, a harsh look at life under economic strain. Carlos Vermut’s Manticore is praised for grabbing the viewer from the opening scene and steering a challenging discourse through a bold narrative approach.
From Elena López Riera’s Vega Baja portrait to Ace Monsters, the text notes a distinctive personal voice in Spanish cinema this year — a thread that runs through titles such as Five Little Wolves and Little Pig, both praised for their insightful scripts, staging, and performances.
A little disappointed
Despite the strong lineup, a few choices register as disappointments. One example is a Williams-method film that centers on the lives of tennis greats, yet leans on familiar praise for success rather than a fresh cinematic lens. The discussion remains balanced, acknowledging strengths while noting room for improvement across the year’s offerings.