Spanish film and its means of seduction
The American Cinematheque’s 11th annual Recent Spanish Cinema, which opened Thursday, continues at the Egyptian in Hollywood tonight at 7 with Fernando Colomo’s “South From Granada,” followed by a discussion with Colomo, and a 10 p.m. screening of Iciar Bollain’s “Take My Eyes,” the winner of four Goyas, Spain’s Oscars.
Based on the travel memoir “The Interior Castle” by Bloomsbury group writer Gerald Brenan, “South From Granada” stars Matthew Goode as Brenan, who settled in an Andalusian village in the 1920s for a stint of writing but got caught up in a passionate romance with the beautiful daughter (Veronica Sanchez) of the local witch.
In only her third film, Bollain displays confident authority with “Take My Eyes,” one of the most incisive and perceptive movies ever made about the complex dynamics of spousal abuse. Laia Marull stars as Pilar, a devoted wife and mother who leaves her abusive husband and takes refuge with her sister Ana (Candela Pena). The fragile, terrified woman commences to build a new life but is seduced by the husband she still loves and who has entered an anger management workshop.
The series continues through March 14. Information: (323) 466-FILM.
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-- Kevin Thomas
Only good movies
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