The Daughter (2021 film)

The Daughter (Spanish: La hija) is a 2021 Spanish thriller drama film directed by Manuel Martín Cuenca, which stars Javier Gutiérrez, Patricia López Arnaiz and Irene Virgüez.

The Daughter
Theatrical release poster
SpanishLa hija
Directed byManuel Martín Cuenca
Screenplay by
Based onan original story
by Félix Vidal
Starring
CinematographyMarc Gómez del Moral
Edited byÁngel Hernández Zoido
Music byVetusta Morla
Production
companies
  • MOD Producciones
  • La Loma Blanca PC
  • La Hija Producciones La Película AIE
Distributed byCaramel Films
Release dates
  • 13 September 2021 (2021-09-13) (TIFF)
  • 26 November 2021 (2021-11-26) (Spain)
CountrySpain
LanguageSpanish

Plot

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Irene is a teenage girl living in a youth detention center who has just got pregnant. She is offered to live with Javier and Adela (a couple desperate to have a child) in a remote house in the mountains in exchange for the baby.[1][2]

Cast

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Production

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The film was shot in landscapes of the Sierras de Cazorla, Segura y Las Villas Natural Park

The Daughter was written by Manuel Martín Cuenca and Alejandro Hernández based on a "horror-oriented" original story by Félix Vidal.[3]

The film was produced by MOD Producciones, La Loma Blanca PC, and La Hija Producciones La Película AIE, with the participation of RTVE, Canal Sur Radio y Televisión and Movistar+, funding from the ICAA and Arcano Financiación Audiovisual, support from A.A.II.CC. [es] and the sponsoring of the Diputación Provincial de Jaén [es].[4] The score was composed and performed by Vetusta Morla.[5]

Fully shot in the province of Jaén, filming locations included the provincial capital (Jaén) as well as the Sierras de Cazorla, Segura y Las Villas Natural Park.[6] The fictional couple's house in the mountains was located in the so-called Llanos del Peral.[7]

Release

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The film had its world premiere at the 46th Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) on 13 September 2021.[8] It also screened at the 69th San Sebastián International Film Festival later in the month. Distributed by Caramel Films,[4] the film was theatrically released in Spain on 26 November 2021.[9]

Reception

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According to the review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes, The Daughter has a 100% approval rating based on 8 reviews from critics, with an average rating of 7.70/10.[10]

Janire Zurbano of Cinemanía gave the film 3 out of 5 stars, considering that while lacking the rhythm and plot-turns of other Martín Cuenca's films such as Cannibal and The Motive, the almost theatrical mise-en-scène and the visual power of the landscapes put tension and pressure on the viewers; cornering them to identify with the protagonists.[11]

Beatriz Martínez of Fotogramas gave the film 5 out of 5 stars, considering the film a masterpiece of contemporary Spanish cinema, a film "as shocking as it is memorable, as a macabre fable".[12]

Raquel Hernández Luján of HobbyConsolas gave the film 60 out of 100 points, considering that—despite praising the exquisite cinematography, the composition of the shots, the score and the performances of the adults—it was a "slow, predictable and boring" film and that the child actress' performance was subpar.[13]

Quim Casas of El Periódico de Catalunya gave the film 3 out of 5 stars, considering that the "elegant and austere" filmmaking plays well on its setting and the reduced number of characters.[14]

Jonathan Holland of ScreenDaily wrote that the film "is gripping, and the script generally keeps one step ahead".[15]

Awards and nominations

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Year Award Category Nominee(s) Result Ref.
2021 34th ASECAN Awards Best Film Won [16]
Best Director Manuel Martín Cuenca Won
Best Screenplay Manuel Martín Cuenca, Alejandro Hernández Won
2022 9th Feroz Awards Best Original Score Vetusta Morla Nominated [17]
1st Carmen Awards Best Fiction Feature Film La Loma Blanca PC Won [18][19]
Best Direction Manuel Martín Cuenca Won
Best Screenplay Alejandro Hernández, Manuel Martín Cuenca Won
Best Production Supervision Ernesto Chao Nominated
Best Makeup and Hairstyles Yolanda Piña Won
Best Supporting Actor Juan Carlos Villanueva Nominated
77th CEC Medals Best Director Manuel Martín Cuenca Nominated [20]
Best Actor Javier Gutiérrez Nominated
36th Goya Awards Best Director Manuel Martín Cuenca Nominated [21]
Best Actor Javier Gutiérrez Nominated
30th Actors and Actresses Union Awards Best Film Actor in a Leading Role Javier Gutiérrez Nominated [22]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Meseguer, Astrid (26 November 2021). "Manuel Martín Cuenca: "Demasiado obedientes han sido los jóvenes durante la pandemia"". La Vanguardia.
  2. ^ Fuente, Anne Marie de la (20 October 2021). "'Cannibal' Director Manuel Martin Cuenca on His Suspense Family Drama 'The Daughter'". Variety.
  3. ^ Losa, José Luis (23 September 2021). "Martín Cuenca explora la atrocidad de los seres comunes en la perturbadora "La hija"". La Voz de Galicia.
  4. ^ a b "'La hija' – estreno en cines 26 de noviembre". Audiovisual451. 22 November 2021.
  5. ^ "Vetusta Morla se pasa al cine con la banda sonora de 'La Hija'". DMúsica. 29 September 2021 – via El Diario Montañés.
  6. ^ Millán, Manuel (11 November 2021). "'La hija', un drama sobre la maternidad con Jaén como escenario". Ideal.
  7. ^ Crespo, Irene (26 November 2021). "La naturaleza maternal e imprevisible de Jaén en 'La hija'". Traveler.
  8. ^ "Manuel Martín Cuenca estrena en Toronto "La hija" entre aplausos". EFE. 14 September 2021.
  9. ^ Escalada Medrano, Paula (7 December 2021). "Irene Virgüez: "El Goya es algo demasiado grande para lo que yo he trabajado"". Noticias de Álava.
  10. ^ "The Daughter". RottenTomatoes. Retrieved 11 June 2023.
  11. ^ Zurbano, Janire (22 November 2021). "Crítica de 'La hija'". Cinemanía – via 20minutos.es.
  12. ^ Martínez, Beatriz (25 November 2021). "Crítica de 'La hija'". Fotogramas.
  13. ^ "Crítica de La hija, la nueva película de Manuel Martín Cuenca". HobbyConsolas. 23 November 2021.
  14. ^ Casas, Quim (24 November 2021). "Crítica de 'La hija': los afectos extraños". El Periódico.
  15. ^ Holland, Jonathan (22 September 2021). "'The Daughter': San Sebastian Review". ScreenDaily.
  16. ^ "'La hija', mejor película andaluza del año en los Premios ASECAN 2021". Cine con Ñ. 18 December 2021.
  17. ^ "Palmarés completo de los Premios Feroz Zaragoza 2022". Cinemanía. 30 January 2022 – via 20minutos.es.
  18. ^ "'Alegría y 'Sevillanas de Brooklyn', las más nominadas a los primeros Premios Carmen del Cine Andaluz". Audiovisual451. 14 December 2021.
  19. ^ "'La hija' de Manuel Martín Cuenca, coronada en la primera edición de los Premios Carmen del cine andaluz". Audiovisual451. 31 January 2022.
  20. ^ "'El buen patrón' domina las nominaciones a las Medallas CEC, que reconocen a 'El amor en su lugar'". Cine con Ñ. 14 January 2022.
  21. ^ Silvestre, Juan (30 November 2021). "Premios Goya 2022: 'El buen patrón' y 'Maixabel' arrasan en las nominaciones". Fotogramas.
  22. ^ Aller, María (15 March 2022). "Premios Unión de Actores 2022: 'El buen patrón' arrasa entre los premiados". Fotogramas.
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