A prequel to The Hunger Games and Ken Loach’s new film Old Oak headline a weekend of premieres, highlighting Malena Alterio in her first lead role in the adaptation of Juan José Millás’ Nobody Sleeps. The slate also includes Carlota Pereda’s second feature, the supernatural drama La Ermita, starring Belén Rueda, along with La imatge Permanent and the animated El Sueño de la Sultana.
The Hunger Games Without Jennifer Lawrence
The Hunger Games: A Song of Songbirds and Snakes serves as a prequel to Suzanne Collins’s famed dystopian saga and marks the fifth entry in the franchise. Set long before Katniss Everdeen’s adventures, it unfolds in a post apocalyptic Panem. The focus centers on Coriolanus Snow, a determined young man destined to lead Panem, and Lucy Gray Baird, a district-born singer who enters the annual games. The cast also features Hunter Schafer, Viola Davis, and Peter Dinklage.
Ken Loach and the Syrian Refugee Crisis
Ken Loach, a two-time Palme d’Or recipient at Cannes for The Wind That Shakes the Barley and I, Daniel Blake, returns with a new project featuring screenwriter Paul Laverty. The Old Oak Tree stars Debbie Honeywood, Ebla Mari, and Dave Turner. The film centers on the last remaining pub in a northern town that weathered mine closures. With affordable housing nearby, the venue becomes a focal point for Syrian refugees arriving in the area.
Malena Alterio in Millás’ Literary World
Antonio Méndez Esparza, director of Life and Nothing More, relies on Malena Alterio, Aitana Sánchez-Gijón, and a cast of non-professional actors for the adaptation of Juan José Millás’s novel Let No One Sleep. The plot follows Lucía, a former computer programmer who becomes a taxi driver after a life upheaval. As she roams Madrid seeking love and new adventures, she embarks on a personal quest for revenge against those who wronged her.
Belén Rueda in La Ermita
Belén Rueda plays a woman navigating a bleak, isolated setting in La Ermita, Carlota Pereda’s second feature following Cerdita. The story emphasizes mother–child bonds as Emma, an eight-year-old, tries to communicate with a spirit trapped in a local hermitage. Rueda’s character faces a skeptical, if curious, Carol who witnesses the unfolding haunting.
Eli Roth and a Thanksgiving Nightmare
Horror specialist Eli Roth writes and directs a new film set at Thanksgiving. With Patrick Dempsey leading, the story follows a killer who terrorizes Plymouth, Massachusetts, turning a holiday into a bloodbath that fuses dark humor with terror.
La imatge Permanent and Seminci’s Golden Spike
La imatge Permanent marks the first feature from Laura Ferrés, a Seminci Golden Spike winner. The film follows Carmen, an advertising photographer, and a street vendor as they navigate absence and connection across generations, with a focus on women who moved from Andalusia to Catalonia.
The Sultan’s Dream – A Feminist Animated Tale
Based on Begum Rokeya’s early 20th-century utopian-feminist vision, the animated feature The Sultan’s Dream traces the journey of a Basque woman who uncovers the tale and seeks traces of the author in India, guided by Isabel Herguera’s direction.
John Malkovich Replaces Seneca
John Malkovich steps into the role once associated with Seneca in a historical drama directed by Robert Schwentke. The narrative follows the Stoic philosopher’s final days and his liaison with Emperor Nero, with Geraldine Chaplin also in the cast as the director explores the dangers of absolute power and totalitarian systems.
Marc Recha’s Wild Road
Catalan filmmaker Marc Recha invites viewers into the Pyrenees where a tense moral dilemma unfolds as characters confront the possibility of losing those they love. Ona, a long-time gardener near elite estates, eyes a new life piloting a small plane. The arrival of strangers unsettles her plan and pulls a complicated past to the surface.
Aura Garrido and a Return Home
Almería-born director Juan Francisco Viruega delivers an intimate journey with Amanece, a story of reconciliation and reunion. Alba, played by Aura Garrido, returns home after a breakup and reconnects with her sister Candela, offering a path to mend childhood wounds while caring for a mother in ill health.
The 70s Ballet World on Screen
Israeli filmmaker Dana Nechushtan examines the demanding ballet scene of the 1970s through the life of Olga de Haas, part of a touring Dutch National Ballet troupe. The drama follows two dancers fighting for survival amid a fiercely competitive era.
21 Paradise – A 21-Shot Erotic Drama
Néstor Ruiz Medina crafts an erotic drama told in 21 moments, exploring sexuality and intimacy between a couple who produce amateur porn. The film stars María Lázaro and Fernando Barona.
Heaven’s Heartbeat – A Religious Cinematic Tale
Heartbeat of Heaven, directed by Borja and José María Zavala, recounts the Miracles of the Eucharist and the life of blessed Carlo Acutis, whose journey took him beyond borders. Filming locations include Lanciano in Italy and Legnica in Poland.
With You, With You and Without Me – A Personal Documentary
Amaya Villar Navascués makes her directorial debut with a documentary blending real footage and animation. It chronicles four love affairs that marked her life over two decades, presented as a intimate, reflective journey.