A Male (Spanish: Un varón) is a 2022 drama film written and directed by Fabián Hernández Alvarado in his directorial debut.[1] Starring Felipe Ramírez Espitia.[2] It is about a teenager who will have to face the ferocity of his neighborhood where the codes of masculinity and the law of the strongest is mandatory to survive.[3] It is a co-production between Colombia, Germany, France and the Netherlands.[4]

A Male
Theatrical release poster
Directed byFabián Hernández Alvarado
Written byFabián Hernández Alvarado
Produced byLouise Bellicaud
Claire Charles-Gervais
Christoph Hahnheiser
Josune Hahnheiser
Ilse Hughan
Manuel Ruiz Montealegre
StarringFelipe Ramírez Espitia
CinematographySofia Oggioni
Edited byEsteban Muñoz
Music byFabien Kourtzer
Mike Kourtzer
Production
companies
lack Forest Films
Fortuna Films
In Vivo Films
Medio de Contención Producciones
RTVC Play
Release dates
  • 24 May 2022 (2022-05-24) (Cannes)
  • 15 March 2023 (2023-03-15) (France)
  • 13 April 2023 (2023-04-13) (Colombia)
Running time
81 minutes
CountriesColombia
Germany
France
Netherlands
LanguageSpanish

A Male had its world premiere on May 24, 2022, at Directors' Fortnight at the 75th Cannes Film Festival,[5] where it competed for the Caméra d'Or[6] and the Queer Palm.[7] It was selected as the Colombian entry for the Best International Feature Film at the 96th Academy Awards.[8]

Synopsis

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Carlos lives in a boarding school in the center of Bogotá, a kind of refuge where the harshness and troubles of life are mitigated. Carlos longs to spend Christmas with his mother and sister, immersed in circles of urban violence. Upon leaving the boarding school, Carlos confronts the rigor of the streets of his neighborhood, where the law of the strongest, the most masculine prevails. He will have to choose between following these codes of masculinity or trusting his deep nature.[9]

Cast

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The actors participating in this film are:[10]

  • Felipe Ramírez Espitia as Carlos
  • Juanita Carrillo Ortiz as Nicole
  • Jhonathan Steven Rodríguez as Freddy

Production

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Principal photography began in 2021 for 5 weeks in the Las Cruces, San Bernardo and Santa Fe neighborhoods, as well as Los Mártires with the La Pepita, La Estanzuela and Voto Nacional neighborhoods and in Puente Aranda in the UPI Integral Protection Unit located in Bogotá, Colombia.[11]

Release

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Festivals

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A Male had its world premiere on May 24, 2022, at Directors' Fortnight at the 75th Cannes Film Festival,[12] then screened on August 4, 2022, at the 26th Lima Film Festival,[13] on September 22, 2022, at the 70th San Sebastian International Film Festival[14] and on March 24, 2023, at the Cartagena International Film Festival.[15]

Theatrical

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It was released commercially on March 15, 2023, in French theaters[16] and on April 13 of the same year in Colombian theaters.[17]

Reception

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Critical reception

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On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 86% of 7 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 7.5/10.[18]

Accolades

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Year Award / Festival Category Recipient Result Ref.
2022 Cannes Film Festival Caméra d’Or A Male Nominated [19]
Queer Palm Nominated [20]
Guanajuato International Film Festival Best International Feature Film Nominated [21]
Lima Film Festival Best Picture Nominated [22][23]
Special Jury Award Won
Best Actor Felipe Ramírez Espitia Won
Competition Fiction - Best Cinematography Sofía Oggioni Hatt Won
International Critics Jury Award for Best Film A Male Won
Nara International Film Festival Golden Shika Award Nominated [24]
San Sebastian International Film Festival Horizontes Award Nominated [25][26]
Sebastiane Award Nominated
São Paulo International Film Festival Best Film - Jury Prize Nominated [27]
Paris Gay and Lesbian Film Festival Libertés Chéries Award Won [28]
International Festival of New Latin American Cinema of Havana Arrecife Award Won [29]
Pingyao International Film Festival Jury Special Mention Won [9]
2023 Fribourg International Film Festival Grand Prix Nominated [30]
Macondo Awards Best Picture Nominated [31][32]
Best Director Fabián Hernández Alvarado Nominated
Best Cinematography Sofia Oggioni Nominated
Best Art Direction Juan Bernal Nominated

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "'Un varón' La opera prima de Fabián Hernández" (in Spanish). 2023-04-29. Retrieved 2023-08-08.
  2. ^ "Felipe Ramírez Espitia, protagonista de la película 'Un Varón' salió del Bronx al cine". Noticias de Cali, Valle y Colombia - Periodico: Diario El País (in Spanish). 2023-04-11. Retrieved 2023-08-08.
  3. ^ "Un varón, película recomendada de la semana en la Cinemateca de Bogotá | Bogota.gov.co". bogota.gov.co (in Spanish). Retrieved 2023-08-08.
  4. ^ "Un varón, película colombiana que expone los estragos de la masculinidad tóxica". agenciadenoticias.unal.edu.co. 2023-04-04. Retrieved 2023-08-08.
  5. ^ Goodfellow, Melanie. "Cannes Directors' Fortnight line-up includes Alex Garland, Mia Hansen-Løve, Mark Jenkin titles". Screen. Retrieved 2023-08-08.
  6. ^ "'Triangle of Sadness' wins Palme d'Or at Cannes Film Fest : NPR". NPR. 2023-08-08. Archived from the original on 2023-08-08. Retrieved 2023-08-08.
  7. ^ "Cannes Film Festival 2022: "Joyland" wins the Queer Palm". GAY45. 2022-05-30. Retrieved 2023-08-08.
  8. ^ "'Un varón', película que representará a Colombia en los premios Oscar". Radio Nacional de Colombia. Retrieved 2023-08-29.
  9. ^ a b "Cine Colombiano: UN VARÓN". Cine Colombiano (in Spanish). Retrieved 2023-08-08.
  10. ^ "Reparto Completo de Un varón (Cine.com)". cine.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 2023-08-08.
  11. ^ "Locaciones para filmar | Comisión Fílmica de Bogotá". filmingbogota.gov.co (in Spanish). Retrieved 2023-08-08.
  12. ^ "'Un varón', la cinta colombiana presentada en Cannes que cuestiona la presión social de ser un hombre 'de verdad'". infobae (in European Spanish). Retrieved 2023-08-08.
  13. ^ "Un varón" [A Male]. 26 Festival de Cine de Lima (in Spanish). Retrieved 9 August 2023.
  14. ^ "'Un varón', del colombiano Fabián Hernández, se destaca en San Sebastián". EL HERALDO (in Spanish). 2022-09-22. Retrieved 2023-08-08.
  15. ^ "De Cannes al Ficci, 'Un varón' también se estrenará en Cartagena". Noticias de Cali, Valle y Colombia - Periodico: Diario El País (in Spanish). 2023-03-23. Retrieved 2023-08-08.
  16. ^ "Les sorties cinéma de la semaine : " Toute la beauté et le sang versé ", " A pas aveugles ", " Un varon "…". Le Monde.fr (in French). 2023-03-15. Retrieved 2023-08-08.
  17. ^ "La película colombiana 'Un varón, los hombres no lloran' llega a las salas de cine, en abril". Noticias de Cali, Valle y Colombia - Periodico: Diario El País (in Spanish). 2023-03-30. Retrieved 2023-08-08.
  18. ^ "A Male - Rotten Tomatoes". Fandango. Retrieved 19 October 2023.
  19. ^ "War Pony: Camera d'Or Winner". Retrieved 2023-08-08.
  20. ^ "Pakistani trans drama wins Cannes 'Queer Palm' award". France 24. 2022-05-27. Retrieved 2023-08-08.
  21. ^ "» Ganadores 2022" (in Mexican Spanish). Retrieved 2023-08-08.
  22. ^ "Ficción Archives". 27 Festival de Cine de Lima. Retrieved 2023-08-08.
  23. ^ "La película colombiana "Un varón" triunfa en el Festival de Cine de Lima". Diario AS (in Spanish). 2022-08-14. Retrieved 2023-08-08.
  24. ^ "Nara International Film Festival – Awards 2022". Asian Film Festivals. 2022-09-27. Retrieved 2023-08-08.
  25. ^ "Ana Cristina Barragán, Natalia Beristain, Pavel Giroud, Patricio Guzmán y Carlos Lechuga competirán por el Premio Horizontes Latinos". Panorama Audiovisual (in Spanish). 2022-08-11. Retrieved 2023-08-08.
  26. ^ Lodge, Guy (2022-09-24). "Colombian Film 'Kings of the World' Tops San Sebastian Award Winners". Variety. Retrieved 2023-08-08.
  27. ^ "46ª Mostra Internacional de Cinema em São Paulo". 46ª Mostra Internacional de Cinema em São Paulo. Retrieved 2023-08-08.
  28. ^ "'Un Varón': La película colombiana sigue disponible en salas de cine después de siete semanas, descubre dónde verla". www.sensacine.com.co (in Spanish). 2023-06-01. Retrieved 2023-08-08.
  29. ^ "Noticias: Festival de La Habana 2022: "Argentina, 1985" ganó cuatro premios - Otros Cines". www.otroscines.com. Retrieved 2023-08-08.
  30. ^ "Lauréats | Festival International de Films de Fribourg". www.fiff.ch (in French). Retrieved 2023-08-08.
  31. ^ "La lista completa de nominados a los Premios Macondo 2023". Radiónica. Retrieved 2023-11-07.
  32. ^ Bedoya, Ricardo (2023-11-06). "Los Reyes del Mudo película vencedora en los Premios Macondo 2023". Caracol Radio (in Spanish). Retrieved 2023-11-07.
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