The Replacement (2021 film)

The Replacement (Spanish: El sustituto) is a 2021 Spanish–Belgian thriller drama film directed by Óscar Aibar. It stars Ricardo Gómez, Vicky Luengo and Pere Ponce.

The Replacement
Theatrical release poster
SpanishEl sustituto
Directed byÓscar Aibar
Written by
  • Óscar Aibar
  • María Luisa Calderón
Produced by
Starring
CinematographyÁlex de Pablo
Edited byTeresa Font
Production
companies
  • Tornasol
  • Voramar Films S.L.
  • Isaba Producciones Cinematográficas A.I.E.
  • Entre Chien et Loup
Distributed byKarma Films
Release dates
  • 7 June 2021 (2021-06-07) (Málaga)
  • 29 October 2021 (2021-10-29) (Spain)
Countries
  • Spain
  • Belgium
LanguageSpanish
Budgetc. 2.8 million

Plot

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It is set in 1982. A police officer from Madrid moves to the coast. He gets involved in an investigation that takes him to a community of nazis enjoying their retirement in the Costa Blanca.

Cast

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Production

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A joint Spain–Belgium co-production,[6] The Replacement was produced by Tornasol, Voramar Films S.L., Isaba Producciones Cinematográficas A.I.E. and Entre Chien et Loup with the participation of RTVE, À Punt Media, the collaboration of Amazon Prime Video and support from ICAA and ICV Generalitat Valenciana.[7] The film was written by Óscar Aibar (the director) alongside María Luisa Calderón.[7] The crew was completed by the likes of Álex de Pablo [es] (DOP), Uxua Castelló (art direction), and Teresa Font (editing).[2] It was shot in Dénia and other locations across the Valencia region.[8] Filming began by mid September 2020.[9]

The film had a budget over €2.8 million.[10]

Release

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The Replacement was presented at the 24th Málaga Film Festival on 7 June 2021,[11] as part of the festival's official selection. It was also screened at the 36th Mostra de València [es].[12] Distributed by Karma Films,[7] the film was theatrically released in Spain on 29 October 2021.

Reception

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Pere Vall of Fotogramas gave the film 3 out of 5 stars, considering it to be "an austere and impeccable recreation of 1980s Spain", highlighting Pere Ponce's performance.[13] Beatriz Martínez of El Periódico de Catalunya gave it 3 out of 5 stars, deeming it a "good thriller", but also a reflection on "the miseries of our times" and the rise of the far right.[14] Raquel Hernández Luján of HobbyConsolas gave the film 60 out of 100 points, praising the good recreation of the 1980s (owing to production design and art direction) while negatively assessing the "overly stilted" performances as well as the "clumsy" and "predictable" resolution.[15] Carmen L. Lobo of La Razón gave it 3 out of 5 stars, writing that it was "superbly set", and that it constituted "a sober, dry and razor-sharp" film.[16] Anton Merikaetxebarria of El Correo gave it 2 out of 3 stars, considering it to be a "different, timely and interesting film".[17]

Awards and nominations

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Year Award Category Nominee(s) Result Ref.
2022 9th Feroz Awards Best Actor (film) Ricardo Gómez Nominated [18]
Best Supporting Actor (film) Pere Ponce Nominated

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b Zurro, Javier (5 November 2020). "¿Nazis ocultos en Denia? Así es 'El sustituto', la nueva película de Ricardo Gómez y Vicky Luengo". El Español (in Spanish). Retrieved 30 October 2021.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h "Érase una vez en Euskadi, El sustituto y Under The Banyan Tree" (in Spanish). Academia de las Artes y las Ciencias Cinematográficas de España. 29 October 2021. Retrieved 30 October 2021.
  3. ^ Vall, Pere (27 October 2021). "Crítica de 'El sustituto'". Fotogramas (in Spanish). Retrieved 30 October 2021.
  4. ^ a b Úbeda-Portugués, Alberto (26 October 2021). "Los estrenos del 29 de octubre. 'El sustituto'. El refugio de los malvados'". Aisge.
  5. ^ "'El sustituto' de Óscar Aibar, nazis en la Costa Blanca en los años 80". Audiovisual451 (in Spanish). 29 October 2021. Retrieved 30 October 2021.
  6. ^ "El sustituto". Catálogo de Cinespañol (in Spanish). ICAA. Retrieved 30 October 2021.
  7. ^ a b c García, Alejandra (26 October 2021). "'El Sustituto' – estreno en cines 29 de octubre". Audiovisual451.
  8. ^ "Una película sobre la connivencia en España con el nazismo clausura la Mostra". Agencia EFE (in Spanish). 22 October 2021. Retrieved 30 October 2021.
  9. ^ "'El sustituto': Nazis ocultos en la Costa Blanca". El Correo (in Spanish). 14 October 2020. Archived from the original on 28 October 2021. Retrieved 30 October 2021.
  10. ^ "Se rueda en Valencia la coproducción de España y Bélgica 'El sustituto', dirigida por Óscar Aibar". Audiovisual451 (in Spanish). 7 October 2020. Retrieved 30 October 2021.
  11. ^ López, Antonio Javier. "'El sustituto', un thriller policiaco sobre el precio de la integridad". Diario Sur (in Spanish). Retrieved 30 October 2021.
  12. ^ Rambla, José Manuel (26 October 2021). "La 36 edición de la Mostra de València-Cinema Mediterrani centra su palmarés en la crisis y la transformación social". El Salto (in Spanish). Retrieved 30 October 2021.
  13. ^ Vall, Pere (27 October 2021). "Crítica de 'El sustituto'". Fotogramas.
  14. ^ Martínez, Beatriz (28 October 2021). "'El sustituto': Más que un thriller de nazis en Alicante". El Periódico.
  15. ^ Hernández Luján, Raquel (29 October 2021). "Crítica de El sustituto, thriller de acción sobre las colonias de exmandos nazis afincados en la Costa Blanca". HobbyConsolas.
  16. ^ Lobo, Carmen L. "Crítica de "El sustituto": entre Naranjito y las SS ★★★☆☆". La Razón.
  17. ^ Merikaetxebarria, Anton (3 November 2021). "Crítica de 'El sustituto' (2021): Colonia nazi". El Correo.
  18. ^ "Palmarés completo de los Premios Feroz Zaragoza 2022". Cinemanía. 30 January 2022 – via 20minutos.es.
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