Siete mesas de billar francés (2007)

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
Ian de Muns	...	Juan
Ricardo de Barreiro	...	Empleado funeraria (as Ricardo Barreiro)
Akihiko Sekitawa	...	Camarero oriental
Lam Chuen	...	Maitre oriental
Adolfo Obregón	...	Administrativo hospital
José María Morales	...	Vizcaíno
Álex Quiroga	...	Joven disco pub
Vicente Benito	...	Leo
Eva Díaz Obregón	...	Gloria

Directed by
Gracia Querejeta

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
David Planell		writer
Gracia Querejeta		writer

Produced by
Juan Carlos Caro	....	producer
José Luis Gago	....	production head
Elías Querejeta	....	executive producer
Gracia Querejeta	....	executive producer
Tadeo Villalba hijo	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Pascal Gaigne

Cinematography by
Ángel Iguácel

Film Editing by
Nacho Ruiz Capillas

Casting by
Luis San Narciso

Production Design by
Llorenç Miquel

Set Decoration by
Marta Agulló

Costume Design by
Maiki Marín

Makeup Department
Carlos Hernández	....	hair stylist
Carlos Hernández	....	makeup artist
Yolanda Piña	....	hair stylist
Yolanda Piña	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Gregorio Hebrero	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Luis Cordero	....	second assistant director
Antonio Ordóñez	....	assistant director

Sound Department
Polo Aledo	....	sound
Antonio Alfara	....	dialogue editor
José Antonio Bermúdez	....	sound re-recording mixer
José Antonio Bermúdez	....	sound
Nicolas de Poulpiquet	....	sound re-recording mixer assistant
Patrick Ghislain	....	foley mixer
Iván Marín	....	sound

Visual Effects by
Marco Checa Garcia	....	senior digital compositor
Ferrán Piquer	....	visual effects supervisor

Camera and Electrical Department
Abraham Hernández	....	video assist
Ángel Iguácel	....	second operator
Chucho Ordurika	....	steadicam assistant
Chiqui Palma	....	Steadicam operator (as Chiki Palma)
Santiago Zuazo	....	assistant camera

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Graciela Rubio	....	seamstress (as Graziella Rubio)

Editorial Department
María José Almela	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Inés de Madrazo	....	musician
Pascal Gaigne	....	musical director
Diego Gil	....	musician
Xavier Gil	....	musician
Emmanuel Licart	....	musician
María Itziar Múgica	....	musician
Javier Pérez de Azpeitia	....	musician
Ricardo Ruiz	....	musician
Anna Serafín	....	musician
Igor Torre	....	musician

Other crew
Purificación García	....	production assistant
Sergio Gil Alonso	....	location manager

Thanks
Luis Alegre	....	special thanks
Azucena Rodríguez	....	special thanks
Elvira Sánchez-Gallo	....	special thanks

Production Companies

• Elías Querejeta Producciones Cinematográficas S.L.

Distributors

• Laptv (2009) (Argentina) (TV)

Other Companies

• Southern Sun  lighting

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:

Buenos días al sol

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 *****