Prison 77 (Spanish: Modelo 77)[1] is a 2022 Spanish historical thriller drama film directed by Alberto Rodríguez from a screenplay co-written with Rafael Cobos which stars Miguel Herrán and Javier Gutiérrez.[2]

Prison 77
Theatrical release poster
SpanishModelo 77
Directed byAlberto Rodríguez
Written by
Starring
CinematographyÁlex Catalán
Edited byJosé M. G. Moyano
Music byJulio de la Rosa
Production
companies
Distributed byBuena Vista International
Release dates
  • 16 September 2022 (2022-09-16) (Zinemaldia)
  • 23 September 2022 (2022-09-23) (Spain)
CountrySpain
LanguageSpanish
Box office2.1 million

Set in the late 1970s in Barcelona's Modelo Prison, the plot consists of a critical revision of the so-called Transition in Spain, focusing on the plight of inmates imprisoned on common charges claiming for an amnesty that, unlike the case of fellow political prisoners, never came to pass.

The film opened the 70th San Sebastián International Film Festival on 16 September 2022, to be released theatrically in Spain a week later.

It earned 16 nominations at the 37th Goya Awards, winning in five technical categories.

Plot

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Taking place from 1976 to 1978,[3] during the so-called Transition, the plot is inspired by the real attempted prison break from Barcelona's Cárcel Modelo attempted by 45 inmates in 1978, after a rebellion led by the Coordinadora de presos en lucha (COPEL).[4] The fiction follows two of the prisoners, José Pino and Manuel, an aged inmate who has passed through several prisons and a young accounting assistant who has just entered the prison, respectively.[5]

Cast

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Production

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The building of the old Modelo Prison was a prime shooting location.[8]

The screenplay was co-written by the director Alberto Rodríguez alongside his customary scribe Rafael Cobos.[9] The film is a Movistar Plus+ and Atípica Films production.[10] The crew featured other recurring Alberto Rodríguez' collaborators such as Álex Catalán (cinematographer), Pepe Domínguez del Olmo (art director), José G. Moyano [ca] (editing) and Julio de la Rosa [es] (composer).[9]

Filming started in Barcelona on 2 August 2021, using the actual Model Prison as shooting location.[11][8] The first phase of filming was completed in late August 2021.[9] Production then moved for the second and final phase to the province of Seville, wrapping on 4 October 2021.[9][12]

Release

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Prison 77 screened out of competition as the opening film of the 70th San Sebastián International Film Festival on 16 September 2022.[6][13] Distributed by Buena Vista International, the film was theatrically released in Spain on 23 September 2022.[9] It had an in-year gross of €2.1 million.[14] It will later be released on Movistar Plus+.[9] It also made it to the 'World Cinema' section of 27th Busan International Film Festival.[15] The film was invited to the 28th Kolkata International Film Festival (screening on 18 December 2022)[16] as well as to the 27th International Film Festival of Kerala.[17] TelevisaUnivision obtained rights to the film in Mexico, the United States, and Latin America, with a streaming debut on Vix+ scheduled for 22 March 2023.[18]

Reception

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On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 100% of 7 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 8.0/10.[19]

Andrea G. Bermejo of Cinemanía rated the film 4 out of 5 stars, concluding that some of the best performances of the year are present in the film, with the entire cast being "in deep communion with the story they want to tell".[20]

Raquel Hernández Luján of HobbyConsolas rated it with 80 out of 100 points ("very good"), deeming the film to be "respectful of the harsh reality it portrays and at the same time [it] manages to take the story out of the corset of prison dramas".[21]

Àlex Montoya of Fotogramas rated the film 4 out of 5 stars praising the "rigor and critical thinking at the service of entertainment, or vice versa. And the cast. All of it".[22]

Fionnuala Halligan of ScreenDaily considered that the film features a Hunger-like depiction of "horrible injustice", displaying "a striking camera-work and fantastic costuming [that] can only hold the eye for so long as beating follows beating".[3]

Top ten lists

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The film appeared on a number of critics' top ten lists of the best Spanish films of 2022:

Accolades

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Esther Ballesteros and Ana Rubio holding their Goya Awards for Best Special Effects in 2023
Year Award Category Nominee(s) Result Ref.
2022 28th Forqué Awards Best Film Nominated [26][27]
Best Film Actor Miguel Herrán Nominated
2023 10th Feroz Awards Best Drama Film Nominated [28]
Best Actor in a Film Miguel Herrán Nominated
Best Supporting Actor in a Film Jesús Carroza Nominated
Best Soundtrack Julio de la Rosa Nominated
Best Trailer Aitor Tapia Nominated
2nd Carmen Awards Best Film Won [29][30]
Best Director Alberto Rodríguez Won
Best Original Screenplay Rafael Cobos, Alberto Rodríguez Won
Best Actor Miguel Herrán Won
Best Supporting Actor Fernando Tejero Nominated
Jesús Carroza Won
Best Editing José M. G. Moyano Won
Best Art Direction Pepe Domínguez del Olmo Won
Best Cinematography Álex Catalán Won
Best Production Supervision Manuela Ocón Aburto Won
Best Original Score Julio de la Rosa Won
Best Costume Design Fernando García Won
Best Makeup and Hairstyles Yolanda Piña, Félix Terreno Won
Best Sound Dani de Zayas, Miguel Huete, Valeria Arcieri Won
78th CEC Medals Best Film Nominated [31][32]
Best Actor Javier Gutiérrez Nominated
Miguel Herrán Nominated
Best Original Screenplay Alberto Rodríguez, Rafael Cobos Nominated
Best Cinematography Álex Catalán Nominated
Best Editing José M.G. Moyano Nominated
Best Music Julio de la Rosa Nominated
37th Goya Awards Best Film Nominated [33][34]
Best Director Alberto Rodríguez Nominated
Best Original Screenplay Alberto Rodríguez, Rafael Cobos Nominated
Best Actor Miguel Herrán Nominated
Javier Gutiérrez Nominated
Best Supporting Actor Fernando Tejero Nominated
Jesús Carroza Nominated
Best Cinematography Álex Catalán Nominated
Best Editing José M. G. Moyano Nominated
Best Original Score Julio de la Rosa Nominated
Best Sound Daniel de Zayas, Miguel Huete, Pelayo Gutiérrez, Valeria Arcieri Nominated
Best Art Direction Pepe Domínguez del Olmo Won
Best Costume Design Fernando García Won
Best Makeup and Hairstyles Yolanda Piña, Félix Terrero Won
Best Special Effects Esther Ballesteros, Ana Rubio Won
Best Production Supervision Manuela Ocón Aburto Won
31st Actors and Actresses Union Awards Best Film Actor in a Leading Role Javier Gutiérrez Nominated [35]
Miguel Herrán Nominated
Best Film Actor in a Secondary Role Fernando Tejero Nominated
10th Platino Awards Best Film Editing José M. G. Moyano Nominated [36]
Best Art Direction Pepe Domínguez del Olmo Nominated

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Mayorga, Emilio; Lang, Jamie (11 February 2022). "Key Spanish Titles at the EFM". Variety.
  2. ^ Torres, Celia (19 September 2021). "'Modelo 77': la película carcelaria que narra la fuga que revolucionó la Barcelona de la Transición". El Español.
  3. ^ a b c d Halligan, Fionnuala (16 September 2022). "'Prison 77': San Sebastian Review". ScreenDaily.
  4. ^ Figueras, Andrea (22 August 2021). "La gran fuga de La Modelo que no pudo ser, al cine". El País.
  5. ^ a b c Rus, Óscar (30 September 2021). "'Modelo 77', un examen a la Transición española desde los calabozos". abcplay. ABC.
  6. ^ a b Arribas, Alicia G. (16 September 2022). "'Modelo 77', la prisión como metáfora de la Transición". Diario de Sevilla.
  7. ^ a b c d e f g h ""Modelo 77" completa su rodaje en Sevilla: conoce al reparto completo de la película que encabeza Miguel Herrán y Javier Gutiérrez". VemosTV. 2 September 2021.
  8. ^ a b Hevia, Elena (21 August 2021). "Regreso a la infame cárcel Modelo de 1977". El Periódico.
  9. ^ a b c d e f "Finaliza la segunda fase del rodaje de 'Modelo 77', la nueva película de Alberto Rodríguez". Audiovisual451. 4 October 2021.
  10. ^ "Alberto Rodríguez inaugurará el Festival de Cine de San Sebastián con 'Modelo 77'". eldiario.es. 7 July 2022.
  11. ^ Herrero, Victoria (7 September 2021). "Alberto Rodríguez rueda su nueva película 'Modelo 77'". Crónica Global. El Español.
  12. ^ "El director Alberto Rodríguez acaba el rodaje de la película 'Modelo 77' en La Model de Barcelona". Alerta. 4 October 2021.
  13. ^ Ravindran, Manori (7 July 2022). "San Sebastian Sets Opening Film With 'Modelo 77,' Starring 'Money Heist' Star Miguel Herrán". Variety.
  14. ^ "Una recuperación más lenta de lo esperado en 2022". Audiovisual451. 7 February 2023.
  15. ^ "Prison 77". Busan International Film Festival. September 7, 2022. Archived from the original on September 9, 2022. Retrieved September 9, 2022.
  16. ^ "Cinema International: Modelo 77 (Prison 77)". Kolkata International Film Festival. December 18, 2022. Retrieved December 18, 2022.
  17. ^ Praveen, S.R (14 December 2022). "IFFK 2022: 'Prison 77' and 'Lord of the Ants' chronicle pushbacks against unjust laws". The Hindu.
  18. ^ "ViX and ViX+ Programming March 2023". TelevisaUnivision. 1 March 2023.
  19. ^ "Prison 77". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved 31 December 2023.
  20. ^ Bermejo, Andrea G. (22 September 2022). "Crítica de 'Modelo 77'". Cinemanía – via 20minutos.es.
  21. ^ Hernández Luján, Raquel (19 September 2022). "Crítica de Modelo 77, audaz combinación de drama carcelario, crónica de nuestro pasado reciente y thriller de evasión". HobbyConsolas.
  22. ^ Montoya, Àlex (22 September 2022). "Crítica de 'Modelo 77', Alberto Rodríguez nos mete en la cárcel". Fotogramas.
  23. ^ a b c Blanes, P; Romero, J.; Castro, E. (23 December 2022). "Las 10 mejores películas españolas de 2022 en un año espectacular para nuestro cine". Cadena SER.
  24. ^ Mantilla, Daniel (11 December 2022). "Las 10 mejores películas españolas de 2022". Series & Más – via El Español.
  25. ^ a b "Cine: las votaciones de nuestros críticos 2022". El Cultural. 20 December 2022 – via El Español.
  26. ^ "Alcarràs', 'Cinco lobitos', 'As bestas' y 'Modelo 77', finalistas en los Premios Forqué". rtve.es. 7 November 2022.
  27. ^ "'As bestas' triunfa en los Forqué y pone al rojo vivo la lucha por los Goya". rtve.es. 17 December 2022.
  28. ^ Gualda, Lucía (29 January 2023). "Premios Feroz, en directo: los premiados a mejor película, mejor serie y mejor actriz y actor protagonistas". Vanitatis – via El Confidencial.
  29. ^ Martínez, Evaristo (14 December 2022). "'Controverso' opta a dos Carmen, que anuncian sus candidatos desde Almería". La Voz de Almería.
  30. ^ Martínez, Evaristo (5 February 2023). "'Modelo 77' impone su ley en los Carmen del Cine Andaluz entregados en Almería". La Voz de Almería.
  31. ^ "'As bestas' y 'Cinco lobitos', las más nominadas a las Medallas CEC". Cine con Ñ. 15 December 2022.
  32. ^ Sánchez Sequera, Marcos (7 February 2023). "'As bestas' brilla en los Premios del Círculo de Escritores Cinematográficos (CEC)". Audiovisual451.
  33. ^ "'As bestas' es la favorita de los Premios Goya del relevo generacional: listado de nominaciones". Cinemanía. 1 December 2022 – via 20minutos.es.
  34. ^ Hopewell, John; Sandoval, Pablo (11 February 2023). "Rodrigo Sorogoyen's 'The Beasts' Sweeps Spain's Goya Awards". Variety.
  35. ^ Aller, María (14 March 2023). "Premios Unión de Actores 2023: 'As bestas' y 'Cinco lobitos', las películas más premiadas". Fotogramas.
  36. ^ "Premios Platino 2023: palmarés con todos los ganadores". Cinemanía. 22 April 2023 – via 20minutos.es.