They Will Be Dust (Spanish: Polvo serán) is a 2024 musical tragicomedy film directed by Carlos Marques-Marcet from a screenplay by Marques-Marcet, Clara Roquet and Coral Cruz starring Ángela Molina, Alfredo Castro, and Mònica Almirall.

They Will Be Dust
Film poster
SpanishPolvo serán
Directed byCarlos Marques-Marcet
Written by
Produced by
  • Tono Folguera
  • Ariadna Dot
  • Giovanni Pompili
  • Eugenia Mumenthaler
  • David Epiney
Starring
CinematographyGabriel Sandru
Edited byChiara Dainese
Music byMaria Arnal
Production
companies
  • Lastor Media
  • Alina Film
  • Kino Produzioni
Distributed by
  • Wanda Vision / Elastica Films (es)
Release dates
  • 7 September 2024 (2024-09-07) (TIFF)
  • 15 November 2024 (2024-11-15) (Spain)
Countries
  • Spain
  • Switzerland
  • Italy
LanguageSpanish

Plot

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After a woman with an incurable disease (Claudia) decides to end her life, her significant other Flavio sets in motion a plan to die together in Switzerland, while their daughter Violeta ends up as an unmeant middle woman.[1][2][3]

Cast

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Production

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The film is a Spanish-Swiss-Italian co-production by Lastor Media, Alina Film, and Kino Produzioni, with backing and funding from ICAA, ICEC [ca], Creative Europe's MEDIA, RTVE, Movistar Plus+, DGCA [it], IDM Film Fund & Commission Südtirol Alto Adige and Eurimages.[1] Gabriel Sandru took over cinematography duties.[6] The score was composed by Maria Arnal.[7] Shooting locations included Barcelona.[3]

Release

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The Will Be Dust had its world premiere in competition for the Platform Prize at the 49th Toronto International Film Festival on 7 September 2024.[8][2] It was also selected as the opening film of the 69th Valladolid International Film Festival.[9] Co-distributed by Wanda Vision and Elastica Films,[1] it is scheduled to be released theatrically in Spain on 15 November 2024.[3]

Reception

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Stephen Saito of Variety wrote that the film "proves moving in more ways than one", "achieving a level of intimacy unusual even for its reliably sensitive director".[4]

Olivia Popp of Cineuropa wrote that the film "goes for broke in all its sincerity and quirkiness — and succeeds".[5]

Jonathan Holland of ScreenDaily deemed the film to be an "admirably unsentimental and involving end-of-life drama that comes, unusually, peppered with dance sequences".[10]

Javier Ocaña of El País declared They Will Be Dust "a bold, almost senseless, volcanic, pretentious, vociferous, passionate (though not enthralling)" work, with some dance sequences veering towards Eliseo Subiela's levels of cheesiness.[11]

Philipp Engel of Cinemanía rated The Will Be Dust 4 out of 5 stars, writing about an "intelligent" film, "without the slightest hint of sentimentality".[12]

Accolades

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Year Award Category Nominee(s) Result Ref.
2024
2024 Toronto International Film Festival Platform Prize Won [13]
69th Valladolid International Film Festival Silver Spike Won [14]
19th Rome Film Festival Best Actress Ángela Molina Won [15]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f Rivera, Alfonso (6 November 2023). "Carlos Marqués-Marcet rueda la tragicomedia musical Polvo serán". Cineuropa.
  2. ^ a b Vlessing, Etan (23 July 2024). "Nacho Vigalondo's Sci-Fi Romance 'Daniela Forever' to Open Toronto Film Fest Platform Competition". The Hollywood Reporter.
  3. ^ a b c "Carlos Marqués-Marcet estrenarà el seu film 'Polvo Serán' al Festival de Toronto". La Vanguardia. 23 July 2024.
  4. ^ a b c Saito, Stephen (7 September 2024). "'They Will Be Dust' Review: Carlos Marqués-Marcet Orchestrates a Delicate Dance with Death in Lively Musical". Variety.
  5. ^ a b Popp, Olivia (16 September 2024). "Review: They Will Be Dust". Cineuropa.
  6. ^ "Se rueda 'Polvo serán', la nueva película de Carlos Marques-Marcet". Camera and Light Mag. 3 November 2023.
  7. ^ "Polvo serán". Academia de las Artes y las Ciencias Cinematográficas de España. 3 November 2023.
  8. ^ Lang, Brent (23 July 2024). "Toronto Film Festival Unveils Platform Lineup Featuring Rodrigo Prieto's 'Pedro Páramo,' Nacho Vigalondo's 'Daniela Forever' and More". Variety.
  9. ^ "'Polvo serán', dirigida por Carlos Marqués-Marcet y participada por RTVE, inaugurará la 69ª Seminci". rtve.es. 21 August 2024.
  10. ^ Holland, Jonathan (18 September 2024). "'They Will Be Dust': Toronto Review". ScreenDaily.
  11. ^ Ocaña, Javier (15 November 2024). "'Polvo serán': intenso y pretencioso musical sobre el amor y la muerte digna". El País.
  12. ^ Engel, Philipp (14 November 2024). "Crítica de 'Polvo serán': una película valiente y audaz que se disfruta tanto como se sufre". Cinemanía – via 20minutos.es.
  13. ^ Hammond, Pete (15 September 2024). "'The Life Of Chuck' Wins TIFF People's Choice Award – Toronto Film Festival". Deadline Hollywood.
  14. ^ "'Misericordia', del cineasta francés Alan Guiraudie, gana la Espiga de Oro de la Seminci 2024". rtve.es. 26 October 2024.
  15. ^ "Festa del Cinema di Roma 2024, vincono Elio Germano e Bound in Heaven di Huo Xin". sky.it. 26 October 2024.