Loreak
| Loreak | |
|---|---|
 Spanish release poster | |
| Loreak (Flowers) | |
| Directed by |
Jon Garaño Jose Mari Goenaga |
| Produced by | Xabier Berzosa |
| Written by |
Jon Garaño Aitor Arregi Jose Mari Goenaga |
| Starring |
Nagore Aranburu Itziar Ituño Itziar Aizpuru Josean Bengoetxea Ane Gabarain |
| Music by | Pascal Gaigne |
| Cinematography | Javi Agirre Erauso |
| Edited by | Raúl López |
Production companies | |
| Distributed by |
A Contracorrientefilms (Spain) Music Box Films (United States) Film Factory Entertainment (International) |
Release dates |
|
Running time | 99 minutes |
| Country | Spain |
| Language | Basque |
Loreak, released in the US as Flowers,[1] is a 2014 Basque-language Spanish drama film directed by Jon Garaño and Jose Mari Goenaga.
It premiered in the Official Section of the 2014 San Sebastián International Film Festival, and was also screened at the 2014 BFI London Film Festival, the 2014 Zurich Film Festival, the 2014 Tokyo International Film Festival and the 2015 Palm Springs International Film Festival.[2][3][4]
It became the first Basque language film nominated for the Goya Award for Best Film.[5] It was selected as the Spanish entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 88th Academy Awards, being the first Basque language film to do it, but it was not nominated.[6][7]
Plot
Ane (played by Nagore Aranburu) is a woman in her early forties who does not feel fulfilled. Her life changes when she starts to receive bouquets of flowers at home anonymously, once a week. The lives of Lourdes (Itziar Ituño) and Tere (Itziar Aizpuru) are also altered by some mysterious flowers. A stranger leaves flowers every week in memory of someone who was important for them.
Cast
- Nagore Aranburu as Ane
- Itziar Ituño as Lourdes
- Itziar Aizpuru as Tere
- Josean Bengoetxea as Beñat
- Egoitz Lasa as Ander
- Ane Gabarain as Jaione
- José Ramón Soroiz as Txema
- Jox Berasategi as Jexus
Critical reception
Loreak was met with positive reviews by critics. Jonathan Holland of The Hollywood Reporter praised it for being "as beguiling and beautifully structured as the flowers of its title" and said it "absolutely deserves wider exposure".[8] Jay Weissberg of Variety called the film "beautifully cast" and "an affecting story of loss and the ways people cope".[9] Lluís Bonet Mojica of La Vanguardia, who gave Loreak a five-star review, noted that it is a "film where nothing happens and everything happens". Oti Rodríguez Marchante of ABC described the film as a "moving and delicate melodrama". On the mixed side, Andrea G. Bermejo of Cinemanía gave Loreak 3.5 stars out of five and observed that "by means of so much perfection [...] the result loses some spontaneity, some audacity, and perhaps, some weight".[10]
Awards and nominations
| Awards | Category | Nominated | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 62nd San Sebastián International Film Festival | Golden Shell for Best Film | Nominated | |
| SIGNIS Award, Special Mention[11] | Won | ||
| 2015 Palm Springs International Film Festival[12] | Cine Latino Award | Won | |
| Premis Sant Jordi de Cinematografia 2015[13] | Best Spanish Film | Won | |
| II Premios Feroz[14] | Best Drama | Nominated | |
| Best Director | Jon Garaño and Jose Mari Goenaga | Nominated | |
| Best Screenplay | Jon Garaño, Aitor Arregi and Jose Mari Goenaga | Nominated | |
| Best Supporting Actress | Itziar Aizpuru | Won | |
| Best Original Soundtrack | Pascal Gaigne | Nominated | |
| Best Film Poster | Nominated | ||
| 29th Goya Awards[15] | Best Film | Nominated | |
| Best Original Score | Pascal Gaigne | Nominated | |
See also
- List of submissions to the 88th Academy Awards for Best Foreign Language Film
- List of Spanish submissions for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film
References
- ↑ "Flowers". Retrieved 28 March 2016.
- ↑ "Festival de cine de San Sebastián: 'Loreak' se estrena en la Sección Oficial" (in Spanish). La Vanguardia. 24 September 2014. Retrieved 8 January 2015.
- ↑ ""LOREAK (Flores)" SE ESTRENA HOY VIERNES 31 DE OCTUBRE". A Contracorriente (in Spanish). Retrieved 8 January 2015.
- ↑ "Flowers". Palm Springs International Film Society. Retrieved 8 January 2014.
- ↑ "‘Loreak’, primera cinta en euskera candidata al Goya a la mejor película". El País. 7 January 2014. Retrieved 10 January 2014.
- ↑ "‘Loreak’, elegida como candidata española a los Oscar". El País. Retrieved 29 September 2015.
- ↑ Aguilar, Carlos (29 September 2015). "Spain Chooses Basque-Language Drama 'Loreak' as Oscar Submission". IndieWire. Retrieved 29 September 2015.
- ↑ Holland, Jonathan (17 November 2014). "Loreak (Flowers)". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 11 January 2015.
- ↑ Weissberg, Jay (10 December 2014). "Film Review: ‘Flowers’". Variety. Retrieved 30 September 2015.
- ↑ "Loreak (Flores)". FilmAffinity. Retrieved 11 January 2015.
- ↑ "SIGNIS PREMIA A “A SECOND CHANCE” DE LA DIRECTORA SUSANNE BIER". SIGNIS España (in Spanish). Retrieved 11 January 2014.
- ↑ "PSIFF 2015 Jury Award Winners Announced". Palm Springs International Film Festival (in Spanish). Retrieved 11 January 2014.
- ↑ "'Loreak', Premio Sant Jordi de RNE a la mejor película española". Premios Goya (in Spanish). Retrieved 24 January 2014.
- ↑ "Lista de nominados a los Premios Feroz 2015". Premios Feroz (in Spanish). 17 December 2014. Retrieved 8 January 2014.
- ↑ "Candidaturas - Loreak". Premios Goya (in Spanish). Retrieved 8 January 2014.