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MARCELINO PAN Y VINO (Spain, 1955)

Written by: Jose Maria Sanchez Silva (novel)/Ladislao Vajda (adaptation)

Directed by: Ladislao Vajda

91 minutes/Spanish with English subtitles

Cast: Rafael Rivelles, Antonio Vico, Juan Calvo, Jose Marco Cavo, Juanjo Menendez, Adriano Dominguez, Mariano Azana

Synopsis: Marcelino is a young boy who lives with monks in a Monastery. One monk told Marcelino never to go up the stairwell of the monastery. But, Marcelino went upstairs, out of curiosity to see what was there. He sees a big crucifix in the room, and puts out bread and wine, and miraculously, Jesus appears, comes down from the cross and eats. He talks to Marcelino, said he was a good boy, and told Marcelino he could have one wish. Marcelino wishes to see Jesus' mother, the Blessed Virgin Mary, and Marcelino's mother. Jesus says he has to fall asleep in order to get his wish. Marcelino falls asleep on Jesus' arm. Marcelino bears the vision of The Blessed Virgin and his mother. The monks then realize that Jesus came down to talk with the boy, and believe it was a true miracle. Jesus gave the boy the name "Marcelino Pan y Vino": "Bread and Wine."

Awards and Nominations:

Won the 1955 Berlin International Film Festival (Silver Berlin Bear)/Won the 1955 Cannes Film Festival for OCIC Award-Special Mention & Best Child Performer/Nominated for the 1955 Cannes Film Festival for Golden Palm/Won the 1956 Cinema Writers Circle Awards, Spain for Best Director, Best Film, Best Screenplay & Best Supporting Actor/Won the 1955 Prize of the National Syndicate of Spectacle, Spain.

 

 

BILLY ELLIOT (United Kingdom, 2000)

Written by: Lee Hall

Directed by: Stephen Daldry

110 minutes

Cast: Jamie Bell as Billy Elliot, Julie Walters as Mrs. Georgia Wilkinson, Gary Lewis, Jamie Draven, Jean Heywood, Stuart Wells, Nicola Blackwell, Colin Maclachlan, Billy Fane, Janine Blirkett, Adam Cooper, Merryn Owen, Stephen Mangan

Synopsis: In the 1984 Miners Strike in England, brawn is more the theme than style, with violence all too common in the struggles of the strikers. Eleven year old Billy Elliot's father and his older brother, union miners themselves, are caught up in it, and the most bellicose elements of their personalities are in full swing. This makes Billy's affinity for dancing over boxing all the more unfathomable to them, and they don't support him in pursuit of his dream to become a ballet dancer.

With the help of a local ballet teacher who secretly takes him under her wing, Billy persists and his talents as a ballet dancer develop impressively. Still, to pursue his dreams, Billy will need both financial support and encouragement from his family, and there is grave doubt whether either is available to him in a family psychologically consumed and financially impaired by the strike.

Billy's father must balance his allegiance to his fellow miners with his allegiance to his family. How he resolves this conflict is the substance of this insightful, and ultimately uplifting, film.

Awards and Nominations:

Year 2000: Won –  British Independent Film Awards, UK - Best British Independent Film; Won - British Independent Film Awards, UK - Best Director - Stephen Daldry; Won – British Independent Film Awards, UK - Best Newcomer - Jamie Bell; Won – British Independent Film Awards, UK - Best Screenplay; Nominated - British Independent Film Awards, UK - Best Actress - Julie Walters; Won - Propeller of Motovun, Croatia

Year 2001: Nominated - Academy Awards, USA - Best Actress in a Supporting Role - Julie Walters; Nominated - Academy Awards, USA - Best Director - Stephen Daldry; Nominated - Academy Awards, USA - Best Writing in a Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen - Lee Hall; Won - Amanda Awards, Norway - Best Foreign Feature Film; Nominated - American Cinema Editors, USA - Best Edited Dramatic Feature Film - John Wilson; Nominated - Angel Awards, - Best Feature Film; Nominated - Art Directors Guild, - Feature Film; Nominated - Australian Film Institute, - Best Foreign Film Award; Won - BAFTA Awards, - Alexander Korda Award for Best British Film; Won - BAFTA Awards, - Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role - Jamie Bell; Won - BAFTA Awards, - Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role - Julie Walters; Won - London Critics Circle Film Awards, - British Actress of the Year - Julie Walters; Nominated - Golden Globe Awards, USA - Best Motion Picture - Drama

 

 

PAN’S LABYRINTH (“El Laberintino del Fauno”) (Mexico, 2006)

Written and Directed by Guillermo del Toro

112 minutes / Spanish with English Subtitles

Cast: Ivana Baquero as Ofelia, Sergi Lopez, Maribel Verdu, Doug Jones, Ariadna Gil, Alex Angulo, Manolo Solo, Cesar Vea, Roger Casamajor, Ivan Massague, Gonzalo Uriarte, Eusebio Lazaro, Francisco Vidal, Juanjo Cucalon, Lina Mira

Synopsis: In 1944, in the post-Civil War in Spain, rebels still fight in the mountains against the fascist troops. The young and imaginative Ofelia travels with her pregnant and sick mother Carmen Vidal to the country to meet and live with her stepfather, the sadistic and cruel Captain Vidal, in an old mill. During the night, Ofelia meets a fairy and together they go to a pit in the center of a maze where they meet a faun that tells that she is a princess from a kingdom in the underground. He also tells that her father is waiting for her, but she needs to accomplish three gruesome, tough and dangerous assignments first. Meanwhile, she becomes friend of the servant Mercedes, who is the sister of one of the rebels and actually is giving support to the group. In a dark, harsh and violent world, Ofelia lives her magical world trying to survive her tasks and sees her father and king again.

Winner of  2007 Academy Awards for Best Art Direction, Best Cinematography, Best Makeup; Nominated for  Best Original Score, Best Original Screenplay and Best Foreign Language Film (Mexico)

Other Awards: Pan's Labrynth has also earned BAFTA awards for Best Film Not in English, Costume Design, and Makeup and Hair.^[ At the Goya Awards, the Spanish equivalent of the Academy Awards, the film won in many categories including Best Cinematography, Editing, Make Up & Hairstyles, New Actress for Ivana Baquero, Original Screenplay, Sound and Special Effects. At Mexico's Ariel Awards, the movie won in 8 categories, including Best Movie and Best Director. The film won the top award at the 2007 edition of Fantasporto. At the 2007 Saturn Awards, it received accolades for Best International Film and Best Performance by a Younger Actor for Ivana Baquero. The film also won "Best Film" at the 2007 Spacey Awards, and "Best Science Fiction Film, TV Movie, or Mini-Series of 2006" at the 2007 Constellation Awards It also won the Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation, Long Form in 2007. The film appeared on many critics' top ten lists of the best films of 2006.