Week 21 of the year brings premieres this Friday across Spain and beyond with three notable releases in Spanish cinema, a drama Cinco Lobitos, a comedy Espejo, Espejo, and a documentary Dolores, guapa! International offerings accompany these titles from the United States, the United Kingdom, and Russia, including JFK: Case Reviewed by Oliver Stone and I Don’t Love You by Lena Lanskih.
Alauda Ruiz de Azúa’s dazzling debut Cinco Lobitos
What does it mean to become a mother? How does motherhood reshape the way one views family? These questions anchor Alauda Ruiz de Azúa’s acclaimed debut, a generational drama that examines the fractures within a family. The film follows Amaia, newly postpartum, as her partner stays away from home and she returns to her parents in a picturesque Basque coast town. There, Amaia discovers that being a mother does not erase the pull of being a daughter.
Mafia’s tailor: quality suits made for gangsters
Directed by Graham Moore, Mob Tailor unfolds in 1956 and follows Leonard, a London Savile Row tailor who relocates to a rough Chicago neighborhood after a personal loss. He creates elegant garments for a family of gangsters who seek to exploit his talent. Leonard and his assistant Mabel become entangled with the mob as their work draws them deeper into danger.
Pulse of acting Macfayden and Firth in Weapon of Deception
John Madden directs a remarkable duo, Colin Firth and Matthew Macfadyen, in this war-time drama inspired by true events and drawn from a best-selling account by Ben Macintyre. Set in 1943, Allied forces push to strike a decisive blow in Europe. Two intelligence officers, Ewen Montagu and Charles Cholmondeley, craft a blueprint of deception that will alter the course of the war.
Verónica Forqué’s latest comedy Miriam mirror
Marc Crehuet leads a cast that includes Malena Alterio, Santi Millán, Natalia de Molina, Carlos Areces, Carlos Bardem, and Verónica Forqué in a choral comedy about four coworkers navigating a milestone anniversary while confronting personal crises. They confront ambitions, fears, loves, and betrayals as they search for clarity within their reflections.
Assassin’s Game, a Gerard Butler adaptation
Joe Carnahan teams with Mark Williams to bring a tense thriller to the screen, featuring Gerard Butler as a masterfully discreet hitman. A small-town police station becomes a precarious battlefield where a careful killer faces a rookie cop and a cunning inmate seeking escape.
Oliver Stone advances JFK lore with a new documentary
Three decades after the cinematic impact of JFK, Oliver Stone returns with a documentary that revisits John F. Kennedy’s assassination, this time grounded in documentary evidence rather than fiction. The film surveys unclassified files and the bureaucratic maze surrounding the event, aiming to illuminate the clues that history has kept hidden.
I don’t love you, a stark portrait from Russia
Lena Lanskih crafts a challenging film about Vika, a young woman from the Ural region who must raise a child alone in a harsh environment. The narrative delves into a family strained by neglect and a broader, unforgiving rural society. The film also examines the toll childbirth takes on a young body and spirit, and it stands as a notable festival prize winner for its unflinching perspective.
Clara sola: magical realism, awakening, and nature
Costa Rican-Swedish director Nathalie Álvarez Mesén presents a debut that blends myth and desire. Clara, a healer and enigmatic figure in a close-knit town, shares a deep bond with her horse Yuca. When a chance encounter awakens a new sense of self, Clara embarks on a journey toward freedom, guided by a blend of faith, doubt, and self-discovery.
Dolores, guapa!: tradition and identity in Seville
Jesús Easter spearheads a documentary exploring Seville’s rituals and the ways LGBTQ communities connect with long-standing customs. The film surveys how tradition shapes lives and how new identities negotiate space within established codes. The director emphasizes viewing these traditions through a lens of marginalization and resilience, offering a personal perspective on continuity and change.