Jump to content

África (film)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

África
Theatrical release poster
Directed byAlfonso Ungría
Screenplay byAlfonso Ungría
Story by
Starring
CinematographyHans Burmann
Music bySuso Saiz
Production
companies
  • Sogetel
  • Bocaboca Producciones
Release date
  • 17 May 1996 (1996-05-17)
CountrySpain
LanguageSpanish

África is a 1996 Spanish drama film directed by Alfonso Ungría which stars Zoe Berriatúa, Elena Anaya, Imanol Arias, and Julie Carmen.

Plot

[edit]

Set in the working-class district of San Blas, the plot follows Martín (an admirer of runner Abebe Bikila) and his fraught and oedipical relation with his father Arturo, as well as his budding romantic relationship with África, a young girl the same age as him, who works in a bar with her mother Isabel.[1][2][3]

Cast

[edit]

Production

[edit]

The screenplay was based on a story by Ungría and Joaquín Oristrell.[5] The film is a Sogetel and Bocaboca Producciones production.[6] It boasted a budget of around 160 million .[5] It was shot on location in San Blas.[7]

Release

[edit]

The film was theatrically released in Spain on 17 May 1996.[8]

Reception

[edit]

Augusto Martínez Torres of El País considered that Alfonso Ungría "not only manages to provide a solid dramatic structure to his story, but also proves to be a great actor's director".[7]

In the view of Josep Torrell, as featured in his chronicle "El cine español de 1996", the film is "imperfect", "laconic and honest", featuring a "splendid photography by Hans Burmann".[9]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Jordan, Barry; Morgan-Tamosunas, Rikki (2001) [1998]. Contemporary Spanish Cinema. Manchester & New York: Manchester University Press. p. 99. ISBN 0-7190-4412-X.
  2. ^ Bentley, Bernard P. E. (2008). A Companion to Spanish Cinema. Tamesis. p. 289. ISBN 978-1-85566-176-9.
  3. ^ "África". Fotogramas. 29 May 2008.
  4. ^ a b c d Gasca, Luis (1998). Un siglo de cine español. Barcelona: Planeta. p. 17. ISBN 8408023098.
  5. ^ a b García, Rocío (17 May 1996). "Alfonso Ungría vuelve al cine con un 'thriller' sentimental". El País.
  6. ^ Bedoya Ruiz, María Jesús. Antonio Meliveo: referente musical cinematográfico del siglo XXI en el cine españo (PDF). Málaga: Universidad de Málaga. p. 70.
  7. ^ a b Martínez Torres, Augusto (21 May 1996). "Una obra maestra realista". El País.
  8. ^ "África". Sensacine. Retrieved 27 August 2022.
  9. ^ Montiel, Alejandro (1999). "La vida en un hilo (argumental) del último lustro del cine español" (PDF). La Madriguera (22): 59–60.