La noche de los girasoles (2006)

Director:

Jorge Sánchez-Cabezudo

Writer:

Jorge Sánchez-Cabezudo (writer)

Release Date:

25 August 2006 (Spain)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Thriller

Plot Keywords:

Salesman | Goat Herder | Murder Confession | Adultery | Moral Principles

Awards:

5 wins & 9 nominations

Cast

Carmelo Gómez	...	Esteban
Judith Diakhate	...	Gabi
Celso Bugallo	...	Amadeo
Manuel Morón	...	Vendedor
Mariano Alameda	...	Pedro
Vicente Romero	...	Tomás
Walter Vidarte	...	Amós
Cesáreo Estébanez	...	Cecilio
Fernando Sánchez-Cabezudo	...	Beni
Petra Martínez	...	Marta
Nuria Mencía	...	Raquel
Enrique Martínez	...	Julián
Mariano Peña	...	Rovira
Amalia Hornero	...	Rosa
Luís Mascarenhas	...	Federico

Also Known As:

Angosto (International: English title) (Spain) (working title)
The Night of the Sunflowers (Ireland: English title) (UK)
La nuit des tournesols (France)

Runtime:

123 min

Country:

Spain | France | Portugal

Language:

Spanish

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Certification:

Ireland:16 | UK:15 | Finland:K-15 | Netherlands:16

Company:

Alta Films

Soundtrack:

Un compromiso

Deeper grave

'The Night of the Sunflowers' is a superior Spanish thriller, telling the story of the tragic aftermath of an attack on a woman, and set against the backdrop of a dying, depopulated rural town. Technically, the film's merits include an evocative score, the subtle use of visual clues, and unmelodramatic acting. But perhaps the strongest aspect of the movie is the way it allows the viewer to see events from different perspectives, and thereby not only drives the evolution of the story, but also gives it a truly three-dimensional quality. The film begins with a segment which, nearing its end, savagely reverses the audience's expectations and sympathies; and thereafter, the story is told in achronological, overlapping fragments, each one offering a different perspective on events. And because of its technical merits, the film's use of this device never damages the naturalistic mood. As events reach their conclusion, you find yourself really caring about the characters, even the ostensibly unattractive ones. 'The Night of the Sunflowers' is a fine film, that never tries to pretend to be more than it is, but which offers rewards through the care with which it portrays its world.