My Tender Matador (Spanish: Tengo miedo torero) is a 2020 historical romantic drama film directed by Rodrigo Sepúlveda with a screenplay written by the same Sepúlveda, alongside Juan Elias Tovar. It is based on Pedro Lemebel's 2001 novel of the same name. It is a co-production between Chile, Argentina and Mexico.[1]
| My Tender Matador | |
|---|---|
 film poster | |
| Spanish | Tengo miedo torero |
| Directed by | Rodrigo Sepúlveda |
| Written by | Pedro Lemebel |
| Starring | |
| Cinematography | Sergio Armstrong |
| Music by | |
Production companies | Forastero, Zapik Films |
Release date |
|
Running time | 93 minutes |
| Countries | Chile Argentina Mexico |
| Language | Spanish |
Plot
editChile, 1986, a few days before Augusto Pinochet's attempted assassination.
It's the love story between "the Queen of the Corner" (Castro), a middle-aged travesti who embroiders tablecloths for military wives, and young Carlos (Ortizgris), a guerrilla member of the Manuel Rodríguez Patriotic Front.
Cast
edit- Alfredo Castro as "la loca del frente"
- Leonardo Ortizgris as "Carlos"
- Amparo Noguera as "Doña Olguita"
- Sergio Hernández as "Rana"
- Julieta Zylberberg as "Laura"
- Luis Gnecco as "Myrna"
- Ezequiel Díaz as "Lupe"
- Paulina Urrutia as "Doña Clarita"
- Gastón Salgado as "Pimp"
- Erto Pantoja as "Bodyguard"
- Victor Montero as "Militar 1"
- Jaime Leiva as "Militar 2"
- Daniel Antivilo as "Toñita"
- Marcelo Alonso as "girl from the choir 1"
- Pedro Fontaine as "girl from the choir 2"
- Manuel Peña as "girl from the choir 3"
- Paula Leoncini as "detenaid woman"
Production
editFor many years, the idea for a film adaptation of the novel by the Chilean artist Pedro Lemebel was being handled. Director Rodrigo Sepúlveda and Lemebel himself were strongly involved. There were many reasons that postponed the project, including lack of funding, disagreements between parts, film rights, authorship of the script, etc. There was much speculation about the problems among everyone involved in what the producer once called his "most ambitious project to date."[2][3] Complications reached a very high point after Lemebel's death in 2015.[4][5]
In 2019, it was announced that after signing a pre-agreement, the filming would begin with director Rodrigo Sepúlveda and a cast headed by the Chilean actor Alfredo Castro (according to Lemebel's own wishes). At the same time it was reported that two musicians and songwriters from Argentina and Chile would take care of the music, the incidental music would be in charge of Pedro Aznar and the arrangement and selection of songs (a fundamental part of the entire work) would be handled by Manuel García.[6][7]
Subsequently, Leonardo Ortizgris and Julieta Zylberberg joined the cast, which is completed by Sergio Hernández, Luis Gnecco and Amparo Noguera.[8][9]
The producers sought to release the film as part of the 2020 Berlin International Film Festival.[10] Ultimately, the film premiered as part of the 2020 Venice Days.[11]
References
edit- ^ ""Tengo Miedo Torero" se convierte en un éxito de "taquilla online" tras su avant premier". RedGol (in European Spanish). 14 September 2020. Retrieved 27 July 2023.
- ^ "Alfredo Castro to Star in 'My Tender Matador' for Forastero (Exclusive)". Variety. 23 August 2017. Retrieved 5 August 2019.
- ^ "La tensa trastienda de los derechos al cine de Tengo Miedo Torero". LaTercera (in Spanish). 6 June 2019. Retrieved 5 August 2019.
- ^ "A Surreal End for an Unforgettable Queen: Pedro Lemebel, 1952-2015". The New Yorker. 28 January 2015. Retrieved 5 August 2019.
- ^ "Por qué "Tengo miedo torero" no puede llegar al cine (aún)". Interferencia (in Spanish). 5 October 2018. Retrieved 5 August 2019.
- ^ "Filme de Tengo Miedo Torero define su elenco y suma la música de Aznar y García". LaTercera (in Spanish). 17 May 2019. Retrieved 5 August 2019.
- ^ "This is how Alfredo Castro transformed for the movie adaptation of Pedro Lemebel's "My Tender Matador"". MOR.BO. 20 November 2017. Retrieved 5 August 2019.
- ^ "Leonardo Ortizgris va contra Pinochet en nueva cinta". El Sol de Mexico (in Spanish). 17 June 2019. Retrieved 5 August 2019.
- ^ "Julieta Zylberberg sobre su rol en cinta basada en obra de Lemebel: "Vi el elenco y me volví loca"". Página7 (in Spanish). 25 July 2019. Retrieved 5 August 2019.
- ^ "Tengo Miedo Torero: Película basada en libro de Pedro Lemebel inicia rodaje en julio y será musicalizada por Aznar y García". ElDesconcierto (in Spanish). 17 May 2019. Retrieved 5 August 2019.
- ^ van Hoeij, Boyd (3 September 2020). "'My Tender Matador' ('Tengo miedo torero'): Film Review | Venice 2020". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 31 October 2020.