Siete mesas de billar francés (2007)

User Rating:

6.7/10   

Director:

Gracia Querejeta

Writers:

David Planell (writer)
Gracia Querejeta (writer)

Release Date:

5 October 2007 (Spain)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

Angela and her young son Guille travel to the big city to see Leo, her father and the boy's grandfather...

Plot Keywords:

Billiards | Bar | Son

Awards:

11 wins & 21 nominations

Cast

Maribel Verdú	...	Ángela
Blanca Portillo	...	Charo
Jesús Castejón	...	Antonio
Víctor Valdivia	...	Guille
Enrique Villén	...	Tuerto
Raúl Arévalo	...	Fele
Ramón Barea	...	Jacinto
Lorena Vindel	...	Evelin
Natalia Mateo	...	Julia
César Cambeiro	...	Mouriños
José Luis García Pérez	...	Fran (as José Luis García-Pérez)
Amparo Baró	...	Emilia
Sebastián Haro	...	Encargado peajes
Luisa Merelas	...	Luchi
Celia Bermejo	...	Vecina Tuerto

Also Known As:

Seven Billiard Tables (Europe: English title) (festival title)

Runtime:

Germany:116 min (European Film Market)

Country:

Spain

Language:

Spanish

Color:

Color

Certification:

Philippines:PG-13 (MTRCB)

Filming Locations:

Madrid, Madrid, Spain

Company:

Elías Querejeta Producciones Cinematográficas S.L.

Soundtrack:

Parque Triana

Tour de force

This film is directed by Gracia Querejeta, a terrific Spanish female director who also directed films such as CUANDO VUELVAS A MI LADO o HÉCTOR. It was on the official section of San Sebastian Film Festival where it received great reviews, especially for the two lead actresses, Maribel Verdú and Blanca Portillo. The last won the prize for best actress. It was kind of strange because everybody was expecting Maribel Verdú to win, but finally her co-star was the awarded one. I think that both actresses should had won ex-aequo.

The film is about Ángela (Maribel Verdú) and Charo (Blanca Portillo) two women who struggles to survive after a relative passed away. That man was Ángela's father and was Charo's de facto husband. I'm not going to explain all the film, but I have to say that is a wonderful tale where we can see how two person with nothing in common(only the man who passed away) help each other although they have their differences. It's about woman's great sense of companionship in rough situations.

Superb performances by all the cast, especially Maribel Verdú, Blanca Portillo, Victor Valdivia as Ángela's little son, Jesús Castejón as Charo's love interest and Lorena Vindel as a south American young girl who worked for Angela's father and help her with the new bar. Terrific script by Gracia Querejeta and David Planell, that was awarded on San Sebastian Film Festival too.

I have to mention the end of the film. It's a perfect ending, simply perfect.It couldn't have finished of another way.

**** 1/2 out of *****