Fausto 5.0 (2001)

Directors:

Àlex Ollé
Isidro Ortiz
(more)

Writer:

Fernando León de Aranoa

Release Date:

19 October 2001 (Spain)

Genre:

Horror | Drama

Tagline:

Some desires can become nightmares

Plot:

On his way to a medical convention, Dr Fausto runs into a man who claims the Doctor removed his stomach eight years ago in a surgical operation...

Plot Keywords:

Doctor | Convention | Hotel Room | Girl Stripped Down To Panties | Autopsy

Awards:

13 wins & 3 nominations

Cast

Miguel Ángel Solá	...	Fausto
Eduard Fernández	...	Santos
Najwa Nimri	...	Julia
Raquel González	...	Margarita
Juan Fernández	...	Quiroga
Irene Montalà	...	Marta
Carme Contreras	...	Anciana
Cristina Piaget	...	Mujer ojerosa
Pep Molina	...	Bielsa
Keke Creixems	...	Presentador
Leonel Valdés	...	Taxista 1
Pep Jové	...	Médico 1
Morgan Searcy	...	Médico 2
Josep Maria Ullod	...	Médico 3 (as Josep M. Ullod)
Motokazu Kawamura	...	Gerente Hotel
Xavier Soler	...	Padre Chatel (as Dr. Soler)
Santi Pons	...	Médico Pasillo
Carles Fígols	...	Revisor
Nico Baixas	...	Chico Ojeroso
Dagmara Ruíz	...	Entermera CAT
Octavio Sena	...	Receptionista 1
Àlex Ollé	...	Hombre 1
Juan Ramis	...	Hombre 2
Jordi Griset	...	Asistente UVI
Anna Diogene	...	Médico UVI (as Ana Diógene)
Younes Bachir	...	Receptionista 2 (as Yournes Bachir)
Rosendo Muñiz	...	Agente Polícia
Adyo Puente	...	Camarero Bar 1
Carlos Laza	...	Camarero Bar 2
Reg Wilson	...	Receptionista 3
Pedro Gutiérrez	...	Camillero CAT 1
Oriol Úbeda	...	Camillero CAT 1
Laia Alemany	...	Joven en silla de ruedas
Renata Braz	...	Chita Archivo CAT
Jose Tortosa	...	Vagabundo que mira
Daniel Oteui	...	Camarero fiesta
Miguel Ángel García	...	Colega Marta
Germán Castro	...	Drag Queen 1 (as Germán Castro STRESS)
Sergio Hernández	...	Drag Queen 2 (as Sergio Hernández del Grupo STRESS)
Juli	...	Drag Queen 3 (as Juli del Grupo STRESS)
José Parramón	...	Drag Queen 4 (as José Parramón del Grupo STRESS)
Glòría Farré	...	Acompañante taxista 1
Tatiana Azevedo	...	Acompañante taxista 2
Paul Atzu	...	Policía interrogatorio
Mariela Nuñez	...	Amiga Margarita 1
Patricia Martínez	...	Amiga Margarita 2
Joan Espury	...	Operario alpinista 1
Rafael Espury	...	Operario alpinista 2
Salvador Chavez	...	Colgado fiesta 1
Semolina	...	Colgado fiesta 2
Laura Pugués	...	Colgado fiesta 3
Joan Francesc Romero	...	Músico 1
Pep Mendoza	...	Músico 2
Gary Bolos	...	Cantante Actuación
Carles Padrissa	...	Vendedor Relojes (as Carlos Padrissa)
Isidro Ortiz	...	Chico Cartel
Chu Uroz	...	Gigoló Anciana
Maria Ollé	...	Niños Delincuentas
Lola Ortiz	...	Niños Delincuentas
Claudia Guevara	...	Niños Delincuentas
Paula Joseph	...	Niños Delincuentas
Paola Manozzo	...	Niños Delincuentas
Ander Sistiaga	...	Chico Silla de Ruedas
Carlos Santana	...	Chico Archivo
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Óscar Borras
Mercè Estrada
Jorge Flores
Saskia Giró
Nacho Leonardi
Teresa Manresa
Alejandro Pinazo	...	Emcee
Miguel Ángel G. Pulido

Directed by
Àlex Ollé
Isidro Ortiz
Carles Padrissa

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Fernando León de Aranoa

Produced by
Eduardo Campoy	....	producer
Fernando Martín Sanz	....	associate producer
Aintza Serra	....	line producer
Thomas Spieker	....	associate producer
Ramón Vidal	....	producer

Original Music by
Josep Sanou

Cinematography by
Pedro del Rey

Film Editing by
Manel G. Frasquiel

Casting by
Sara Bilbatúa

Art Direction by
Leo Casamitjana

Production Management
Ander Sistiaga	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Luis Casacuberta	....	second assistant director
Guillermo Escribano	....	assistant director
Daniel Rivero	....	third assistant director
Carlos Santana	....	second second assistant director

Sound Department
Manuel Carrión	....	foley artist
Ferran Mengod	....	sound designer
Pepe Pleguezuelos	....	sound re-recording mixer
Jaume Puig	....	sound consultant: Dolby
Joan Riba	....	dialogue editor

Special Effects by
Xavi Bastida	....	special effects makeup
José M. Meneses	....	special effects technician: DDT
Juan Serrano	....	special effects technician: DDT SFX

Visual Effects by
Helmuth Barnert	....	digital compositor
Iñaki Gil	....	visual effects supervisor
Javier Martínez Calvo	....	matte painter
Alfonso Nieto	....	digital effects
Leo Obstbaum	....	digital artist
Raul Ortego	....	visual effects supervisor
Raúl Sánchez	....	visual effects supervisor

Stunts
Clara Manguillot	....	stunt double: Margarita

Camera and Electrical Department
Eduardo Bonilla	....	lighting technician
Juan Carlos Moreno	....	electrician
Óscar Faura	....	director of photography: second unit
Celine Gravez	....	video assist
José Ángel Manrique	....	grip
Kike Martínez	....	electrician: dailies
Laura Martínez	....	grip
Roger Martínez	....	first assistant camera
Adolfo Morales 'Fofi'	....	focus puller

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Irantzu Campos	....	set costumer

Editorial Department
Pau Atienza	....	assistant editor

Other crew
Bob Buchholz	....	english language director
Fabio Diéguez	....	animal trainer coordinator
Luci Lenox	....	production assistant
Gloria Soriano	....	script supervisor
Jordi Capdevila	....	graphic assistant (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Creativos Asociados de Radio y Televisión (CARTEL)
• Fausto Producciones Cinematográficas
• Programme MEDIA de la Communauté Européenne
• TV3

Distributors

• 42nd Street Productions S.L.
• CTV International
• Creativos Asociados de Radio y Televisión (CARTEL) S.A.
• Fausto Producciones Cinematográficas
• Laurenfilm (Spain)
• Nucleus Films (2005) (UK) (DVD)
• TF1 Vidéo (2003) (France) (DVD)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

93 min | Argentina:94 min (Mar del Plata Film Festival)

Country:

Spain

Language:

Catalan | Cheyenne | Spanish

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Argentina:16 | Australia:R | France:-12 | Spain:18 | UK:18

Company:

Creativos Asociados de Radio y Televisión (CARTEL)

Goofs:

Continuity: The position of the decanter bottle changes in the two shots of Vella bringing the second drink to Faust. Initially it is above the left door, but then it moves to the middle of the cabinet.

Soundtrack:

Variations on a Cocktail Dress

A great original adaptation of the Faustian legend

I hadn't heard or seen anything about this movie before I saw it sitting on the DVD shelf of my local library, let alone have an idea what it was about. I was lured by the awards it had advertised on the cover and ambiguous statement, 'If you were to sell your soul what would you ask for?' I have no answer to the question but I'm pleased I parted with £1.50 to see this movie.

It is based on the Faustian legend that the central character's pact with the devil allows him to have energy, life and youth unless he becomes so entranced by the passing moment that he wishes that things will never change. When Faust succumbs unthinkingly into that wish, his life is forfeit to a demon. In this adaptation the central character Dr Fausto (Miguel Ángel Solá), a specialist doctor of terminal medicine, who has lost his zest for life working constantly with people on the brink of death. While attending a conference in Barcelona, he runs into the mysterious (and hilarious) Santos Vella, pronounced 'Vela', as in 'mozzarella', played by the excellent Eduard Fernández, a man who claims to have once been treated by Fausto but which Fausto has no recollection of. He follows Fausto everywhere and knows everything about him, using his wit and humour to make a bold pact with Fausto and reintroduce him to youth and fun and his daughter Marta (Irene Montalà). When Fausto abuses the pact with Vella, his life starts dismantling with horrific and explicit consequences and nightmares, such as dogs eating at his stomach, being arrested and the demon threatening to harm his medical assistant, Julia (Najwa Nimri).

The plot builds quickly and mysteriously through a blend of strange characters, such as the old woman on the train and the rail kill being hauled off the front train at the station, and psychedelic editing (which looks both original and a throw-back to cheesy 70s horror flicks). It keeps you hooked, especially the acting by Fernández, who comes across full of life and witty as the demon, towards the cold Dr Fausto, Solá. Both actors looked involved in the roles and came across frighteningly realistic as the plot evolved. The sets were also detached and chilling, which added to the suspense, such as the nightclub they go to, with the crazy naked women chained upside down and dancing to the hardcore rock music. It reminded me a little bit of the scenes in Fight Club. The sound affects when Fausto tears open the body at the lecture is sickeningly realistic and the music was jagged and sharp to add to the apprehension. There are very humorous scenes as well, such as smashing up the living room with a golf-club and the funny quips.

It was well directed by Álex Ollé, Carlos Padrisa and Isidro Ortiz. The plot flowed smoothly and the performances and the sets were flawless. However, the writer Fernando León I thought was trying his best to make the film more strange than he had to. For example, the girl Margarita who Fausto has sex with has blue arms – why? And why is it called Fausto 5.0? There's no explanation to this in the story and I think there's a few red herrings to try and throw people unnecessarily off course. Then again, it could be the director achieving what he wanted; for you to keep guessing. I know I still am. The film was out to shock, which happens quite often in Spanish movies. There's often an empty feeling, a detachment between the audience and the characters, which is both interesting and keeps you thinking about the plot for days afterwards. It's a unique trend in Spanish cinema, and Fausto 5.0 is a prime example. Dreams also feature a lot in Spanish cinema. Take Abre Los Ojos for example, which was also surreal and strange and ended up being one great nightmare. Along with Abre Los Ojos, there is a hint of Requiem to a Dream and Fight Club, due to the fact the characters in the films are on the edge of life and they include horrors and sci-fi elements and are all well-made.

I give this film eight out of ten. I was hooked, it was original, brilliantly acted and excellently made. Fans of sci-fi/horror movies will love it. I'm not particularly but I really enjoyed it. If the writer had been a little less pretentious with the weirdness, it would have received an extra mark.