With George Bush on My Mind (Spanish: Los abajo firmantes;[1] transl. 'The Signers Below') is a 2003 Spanish comedy-drama film directed by Joaquín Oristrell, which stars Javier Cámara, Juan Diego Botto, Elvira Mínguez and María Botto.
| With George Bush on My Mind | |
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 Theatrical release poster | |
| Spanish | Los abajo firmantes |
| Directed by | Joaquín Oristrell |
| Screenplay by |
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| Produced by |
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| Starring |
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| Cinematography | Mischa Lluch |
| Edited by | Miguel Ángel Santamaría |
| Music by | Nacho Mastretta |
Production companies |
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Release dates |
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| Country | Spain |
| Language | Spanish |
Plot
editThe plot follows a troupe of thespians preparing a stage play (García Lorca's Play Without a Title). The replacement lead actor is also set to read an anti war manifesto at the end of the show.
Cast
edit- Javier Cámara as Mario[2]
- Juan Diego Botto as Jorge[3]
- Elvira Mínguez as Carmen[3]
- María Botto as Laura[3]
- José Manuel Cervino as Padre de Laura[3]
- Raúl García as Joven[3]
- Jesús Díaz as Leñador[3]
- Fernando Guillén as Tramoyista[3]
- Rebeca Fernández as Hada[3]
Production
editThe screenplay was penned by the four leads alongside Oristrell.[4] A Centro de Nuevos Creadores and Garbo Producciones production,[3] the film featured a "very small" budget, and it was shot in 3 weeks and a half.[5]
Release
editThe film premiered at the 51st San Sebastián International Film Festival in September 2003.[6] It was theatrically released in Spain on 17 October 2003.[3]
Reception
editEsteve Riambau of Fotogramas rated the film 5 out of 5 stars, writing that the film came "from the guts" to show the actors' commitment to the campaign against the Iraq War, and that it also "becomes an excellent portrait of the world of comedians", praising its boldness as the best thing about it.[7]
Casimiro Torreiro of El País considered, that rather than an erudite dissection of a stage play, the film tries to "reproduce the emotional pulse of a few days, those of the first months of 2003, lived frantically"; the chronicle about the commitment to protest against the war in Iraq, also praising the performances of the two Bottos, Mínguez and Cámara.[8]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Pavlović, Tatjana; Perriam, Chris; Triana Toribio, Nuria (2013). "Stars, Modernity, and Celebrity Culture". In Labanyi, Jo; Pavlović, Tatjana (eds.). A Companion to Spanish Cinema. Blackwell Publishing Ltd. p. 338. ISBN 978-1-4051-9438-9.
- ^ Caparrós Lera, José María (2005). La Pantalla Popular. El cine español durante el Gobierno de la derecha (1996-2003). Tres Cantos: Ediciones Akal. p. 231. ISBN 978-84-460-2414-9.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j Caparrós Lera 2005, p. 231.
- ^ Rodríguez Marchante, E (20 September 2003). "«Los abajo firmantes», por si alguien no lo vio en la entrega de los Goya". abcplay – via ABC.
- ^ Monjas, C.H L. (9 April 2003). "«Los abajo firmantes» lleva al cine la reacción pacifista de los actores". La Voz de Galicia.
- ^ Montero, Yolanda (20 September 2003). "'Los abajo firmantes', una batalla de los actores contra la guerra". El País.
- ^ Riambau, Esteve (29 May 2008). "Los abajo firmantes". Fotogramas.
- ^ Torreiro, Casimiro (17 October 2003). "Merecido homenaje". El País.