A trip back to the 1980s summer in Galicia, seen through the lens of Dani de la Torre, invites viewers into a comedy of visions and the adaptation of a classic novel, Deception, by Phillip Roth, with Léa Seydoux joining the cast. Here are the standout titles hitting theaters this week.
‘Living is life’
Typically aligned with high tension, Galician director Dani de la Torre ventures into adventure and emotional cinema with Living is Life, filmed in Ribeira Sacra. The project, crafted by Catalan screenwriter Albert Espinosa, shifts to a setting and experiences that resonate deeply with the director. The plot unfolds in a Galician town in the summer of 1985, where a group of colorful teenagers savor their holidays and begin to glimpse the wider world of adulthood.
‘Everything is everywhere all at once’
In this funny sci fi odyssey, Michelle Yeoh and Jamie Lee Curtis star as Evelyn and a weary traveler who must trap a rapidly expanding multiverse. Written and produced by Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, known as the Daniels, the film follows a Chinese American mother who discovers extraordinary powers and must harness them to save the world from the chaos of infinite realities.
‘A writer’s fantasies’
French director Arnaud Desplechin adapts Philip Roth’s novel into a cinematic exploration, starring Léa Seydoux and Denis Podalydès. Shown at Cannes last year, the film presents intimate dialogue between author and lover, probing themes of desire, death, literature, and sexuality with piercing candor.
‘Claw’
Adam Sandler headlines a tale about a basketball scout who discovers a prodigious talent during a late hour trip. Facing a difficult past, he grants the young player one last chance to reach the NBA. The movie is a collaboration with LeBron James, produced for Netflix, and features Queen Latifah, Ben Foster, Maria Botto, Robert Duvall, and Juancho Hernangómez in leading roles.
‘Gentiles’
Santi Amodeo, known for The Pilgrim Factor and Who Killed Bambi, returns to examine the dangerous pull of social media on teenagers. Newcomers Africa de la Cruz and Paula Díaz introduce characters who navigate family strife and the ache of growing up. Ana faces a turbulent period marked by conflicts at home and the search for identity as she encounters Corrales and brushes with suicidal peers.
‘Can’t do without you’
Chus Gutiérrez, director of Sexo Oral and Return to Hansala, delves into guilt and how to live with it in a moving thriller featuring Maite Perroni, Mauricio Ochmann, Alfonso Bassave, and Pedro Casablanc. The story follows a gay couple contemplating parenthood when the sister of one partner, still entangled with a past tragedy, disrupts their lives.
Death penalty in Iran
Mina learns that her husband Babak was wrongly executed, turning her life upside down. Alone with a disabled daughter to raise, she encounters a stranger who offers help to settle old debts. Co directed by Maryam Moghadam and Behtash Sanaeeha, the film screened at Valladolid Seminci last year, and follows a woman’s struggle for justice and survival.
‘The Otsoga Diaries’
Portuguese director Miguel Gomes collaborates with French filmmaker Maureen Fazendeiro on a project shot over a scattered timeline. The crew spends roughly 22 days in a Portuguese country house, and the narrative unfolds as they prepare to shoot during a pandemic. Crista, Carloto, and João foster a makeshift greenhouse for butterflies while weighing the realities of filmmaking in isolation.
‘Marmaduke’
A confident, mischievous large dog dreams of conquering England’s top dog show. To earn the title, Marmaduke must outpace Zeus, an equally determined rival. The animation features Mark Dippé and Matt Philip Whelan at the helm, delivering family friendly humor as the story unfolds on screen.
‘McCurry, the quest for color’
This documentary traces the life of Steve McCurry, famed for the National Geographic cover image The Afghan Girl. Denis Delestrac offers deep access into the photographer’s creative process, weaving together rare footage and personal reflections on what color reveals about humanity and connection.
‘Vilas and his stuntmen’
German writer Manuel Vilas becomes the focal point in a reflective journey about memory, literature, cinema, family, love, and death. With appearances from Viyuela, José Sacristán, and others, the film blends personal narrative with cinematic history as it traverses Vilas’s most meaningful moments.