Biutiful (2010)

Director:

Alejandro González Iñárritu

Writers:

Alejandro González Iñárritu (screenplay) and
Nicolás Giacobone (screenplay)
(more)

Release Date:

20 October 2010 (France)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

This is the story of Uxbal, a man living in this world, but able to see his death, which guides his every move.

Plot Keywords:

Illegal Immigrant | Children | Immigrant | Single Father | Chinese

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 16 wins & 33 nominations

Cast

Javier Bardem	...	Uxbal
Maricel Álvarez	...	Marambra
Hanaa Bouchaib	...	Ana
Guillermo Estrella	...	Mateo
Eduard Fernández	...	Tito
Cheikh Ndiaye	...	Ekweme
Diaryatou Daff	...	Ige
Taisheng Chen	...	Hai (as Taishen Cheng)
Jin Luo	...	Liwei
George Chibuikwem Chukwuma	...	Samuel
Lang Sofia Lin	...	Li
Yodian Yang	...	Chino Obeso
Tuo Lin	...	Barman Bar Hai
Xueheng Chen	...	Chino Bodega
Xiaoyan Zhang	...	Jung
Ailie Ye	...	Padre Hai
Xianlin Bao	...	Madre Hai
Ana Wagener	...	Bea
Rubén Ochandiano	...	Zanc
Karra Elejalde	...	Mendoza
Nasser Saleh	...	Muchacho
Tomás del Estal	...	Hombre de Luto
Ángel Luis Arjona	...	Niño Muerto
Dolores Echepares	...	Señora Funeral
Adelfa Calvo	...	Mujer Grande
Manolo Solo	...	Médico (as Manuel Solo)
Violeta Pérez	...	Enfermera
Germán Almendros	...	Cirujano 1
Isaac Alcayde	...	Cirujano 2 (as Isaac Alcaide)
Nacho Moliné	...	Cirujano 3
Carmen La Lata	...	Vieja
Annabel Totusaus	...	Secretaria Fincas
Eduardo Gómez	...	Hombre Semidesnudo
Ramón Elies	...	Empleado Cementerio 1
Juan Vicente Sánchez	...	Empleado Cementerio 2
Félix Cubero	...	Burócrata
Carmen Peleteiro	...	Mesera (as Mª Carmen Peletero)
Federico Muñoz	...	Alcalde
Leticia Albizuri	...	Chica Joven 2
Maria Casado	...	Presentadora Informativos (as María Casado)
Judith Huertas	...	Reportera Informativos
Aroa Ortiz	...	Bailarinas Stripper Bar
Victoria M. Díaz	...	Bailarinas Stripper Bar
Sonia Cruz	...	Bailarinas Stripper Bar
Sophie Evans	...	Bailarinas Stripper Bar
Luna Jimémez Colindres	...	Bailarinas Stripper Bar
Dunia Montenegro	...	Bailarinas Stripper Bar
Rodica Ioana Ungureanu	...	Bailarinas Stripper Bar
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Albert Grabuleda Capdevila	...	Mosso d'Esquadra Antidisturbio (uncredited)
Alain Hernández	...	(uncredited)
Pitu Princess	...	Plañidera (uncredited)
Jesus Puchol	...	Mosso d'Esquadra (uncredited)

Directed by
Alejandro González Iñárritu

Writing credits
Alejandro González Iñárritu		(screenplay)
Armando Bo		screenplay
Nicolás Giacobone		screenplay

Produced by
Fernando Bovaira	....	producer
Alfonso Cuarón	....	associate producer
Guillermo del Toro	....	associate producer
Alejandro González Iñárritu	....	producer
Sandra Hermida	....	co-producer
Jon Kilik	....	producer
David Linde	....	executive producer
Ann Ruark	....	co-producer

Original Music by
Gustavo Santaolalla

Cinematography by
Rodrigo Prieto

Film Editing by
Stephen Mirrione

Production Design by
Brigitte Broch

Art Direction by
Marina Pozanco
Silvia Steinbrecht

Set Decoration by
Lluïsa Ferré		(as Luisa Ferré)
Laura Musso
Joan Sabaté

Costume Design by
Bina Daigeler
Paco Delgado

Makeup Department
Arturo Balceiro	....	special makeup effects artist (as Arturo Balseiro)
Karin Belghiran	....	assistant hair stylist (as Karim Belghiran)
Alessandro Bertolazzi	....	makeup department head
Montse Boqueras	....	assistant makeup artist (as Montserrat Boqueras)
Clara Domínguez	....	assistant hair stylist
Manolo García	....	key hair stylist
Duncan Jarman	....	special makeup effects artist
Frederique Laine	....	special makeup effects artist
Frédéric Lainé	....	special makeup effects artist
Sebastian Lochmann	....	special makeup effects artist (as Sebastian Lochman)
Jesús Martos	....	assistant hair stylist
David Martí	....	special makeup effects supervisor
Lola Martínez	....	assistant makeup artist
María José Martínez	....	assistant makeup artist
Jordi Morera	....	special makeup effects artist
Ángela Muñoz	....	assistant hair stylist
Rosario Peregrina	....	assistant hair stylist
Eva Quilez	....	assistant makeup artist (as Eva Quilez)
Montse Ribé	....	special makeup effects supervisor
Montse Sanfeliu	....	assistant makeup artist (as María Montserrat Sanfeliu)
Floris Schuller	....	special makeup effects artist
Anna Álvarez	....	assistant makeup artist

Production Management
Livia Arroyo	....	assistant production manager
Nicos Beatty	....	assistant manager
Marian Briozzo	....	post-production supervisor
Laia Farran	....	assistant production manager (as Laia Farràn)
Magda Gargallo	....	assistant production manager
Sandra Hermida	....	production manager
Bernat Manzano	....	assistant production manager
Ann Ruark	....	production manager
Nicolás Tapia	....	production manager (as Nico Tapia)
Michael Tinger	....	post-production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Andrés Curbelo	....	second assistant director
Filippo Del Bello	....	assistant director
Yago Garbizu	....	third assistant director
David González	....	third assistant director
Olga Pujalte	....	second assistant director
F. Javier Soto	....	first assistant director
Gerard Verdaguer	....	first assistant director: Plaza Cataluña
Mamen Zahonero	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Chan Canelo	....	artist/painter
Joseph Diaz	....	concept artist
Vinyet Escobar	....	props
Alexis Fibla	....	set draftsman
Alexis Fibla	....	storyboard artist (as Alexis Fiblà)
Héctor Gil	....	props master
Joxean Goya	....	set dresser
Nuria Krämer	....	assistant art director
Ariel Margolis	....	props on set
Diana Marzal	....	props runner
Carmine Palmentieri	....	painter
Sonia Ros	....	props buyer
Montse Soler	....	property master
Álvaro Soler	....	storyboard artist

Sound Department
Bob Beemer	....	sound re-recording mixer
David Calleja	....	mixer assistant
Robert Carr	....	mix technician
Álex F. Capilla	....	dialogue editor
José Antonio García	....	sound
Martín Hernández	....	sound designer
Martín Hernández	....	supervising sound editor
Iñaki Lupiani	....	boom operator
James Moriana	....	foley artist
Alejandro Quevedo	....	sound designer
Filippo Restelli	....	boom operator
Filippo Restelli	....	sound mixer: adr
Leslie Shatz	....	sound re-recording mixer
Unsun Song	....	sound mix recordist
Vanesa Lorena Tate	....	first assistant editor
Vanesa Lorena Tate	....	sound editor
Jon Taylor	....	sound re-recording mixer
Roland N. Thai	....	sound effects editor
Brett Voss	....	foley mixer
Jeffrey Wilhoit	....	foley artist
Arturo Zarate	....	supervising dialogue editor

Special Effects by
Javier Aliaga	....	special effects makeup
Maxime Boquier	....	special effects makeup: DDT SFX Crew
Pau Costa	....	special effects
Javier Jal	....	special effects technician
Duncan Jarman	....	special effects makeup
Sebastian Lochmann	....	sculptor/painter
Javier H. Moneo	....	special effects technician
Jordi Morera	....	special effects makeup: DDT SFX Crew
Raquel Munuera	....	special effects makeup: DDT SFX Crew
Pablo Perona Navarro	....	special effects makeup
Marcos Sagasta	....	special effects technician: DDT sfx

Visual Effects by
Sonsoles Aranguren	....	digital compositor
Félix Bergés	....	visual effects supervisor
Bahar Cetin	....	digital compositor
Jaime Burés Cuco	....	digital compositor
Aníbal del Busto	....	digital compositor
Ñaña González	....	digital compositor
Pablo Hernández-Meléndez	....	senior cgi artist
Ezequiel Larrú	....	digital compositor
Ezequiel Larrú	....	digital effects artist
Alberto Luceño	....	cgi artist
Guillermo Orbe	....	digital compositor
Ramón Ramos	....	visual effects artist
Thorsten Rienth	....	digital compositor
Rafa Solorzano	....	visual effects supervisor (as Rafael Solórzano)
Carlos Trijueque	....	digital compositor
Dani Villalba	....	visual effects artist

Stunts
Roberto Arnaiz	....	stunt performer
Belinda Burgos	....	stunt performer
Karen Calderón	....	stunt performer (as Caren Calderón)
Pablo Casillas	....	stunt performer
Clemente Chávez	....	stunt coordinator (as Clemente Chávez Martínez)
Jaume Coll	....	stunt performer
Marian Elshove	....	stunt performer
Juan Antonio Gargante	....	stunt performer
Melissa Giler	....	stunt double: Hanna Bouchaib
Aroa Hafer	....	stunt performer
Melania Heredia	....	stunt performer
Jorge Huergo	....	stunt performer
Jorge Huergo	....	stunts
Eugenio Jiménez	....	stunts
Mario Lozano	....	stunt performer
Juan Diego Montoya	....	stunt performer (as Juan Montoya)
Vicky Ocaña	....	stunt double: Maricel Alvarez
Stanislav Raimjanov	....	stunt performer
Dídac Rodríguez	....	stunt performer
Francesc Sadurní	....	stunt double: Javier Bardem
Roger Salvany	....	stunt performer
Amadou Samb	....	stunt performer
José Carlos Suárez	....	stunt double: Javier Bardem
Eva Tramullas	....	stunt performer
Gerard Tramullas	....	stunt performer
Daniel Vallecillos	....	stunt performer
José Ignacio Álvarez	....	stunt coordinator (as Ignacio Álvarez)

Camera and Electrical Department
David Acereto	....	additional camera operator: Navarra
Daniel Aranyó	....	camera operator
Daniel Aranyó	....	cinematographer: second unit
Miquel Auguet	....	second assistant camera: third unit
Luis Ayala	....	electrician
Charly Bujedo	....	electrician (as Charlie Bujedo)
Óscar Cano	....	first assistant key grip
Albert Carreras	....	camera operator
Francesc Carreras	....	first assistant camera: second unit
Xavier Carrión	....	electrician: retake (as Xavi Carrion)
Sefe Castanyer	....	electrician: retake
Arturo Castañeda	....	first assistant camera: "a" camera
Juan Manuel Castro Prieto	....	special photographer
Óscar Faura	....	camera operator
Ezequiel Fernández	....	electrician
Manel Fernández	....	electrician (as Manuel Fernández)
Gina Ferrer	....	clapper loader
Jordi Florensa	....	first assistant camera: b camera
Javier González Leonardo	....	key grip (as Javier González)
Álex González	....	clapper loader: second unit (as Alex González)
Charly Guerrero	....	electrician (as Carlos Guerrero)
Javier Guerrero	....	best boy electric
Joaquim Guitart	....	best boy: retake (as Quim Guitart)
José Haro	....	still photographer
Guillem Huertas	....	additional assistant camera
Sergi Iracheta	....	additional assistant camera
Gris Jordana	....	additional second assistant camera
Luis Lattanzi	....	key second assistant camera
José Ángel Manrique	....	key grip
Nacho Martín	....	making-of
Laura Martínez	....	additional grip
Pablo Montesinos	....	video assist
Alvaro Morales	....	key grip (as Álvaro Morales)
Diego Moyano	....	best boy pre-light
Norma Nebot	....	making-of
Albert Pascual	....	camera operator
Raúl Peña	....	electrician
Pau Reig	....	additional assistant camera
José Luis Rodríguez	....	gaffer (2009)
Eduard Roigé	....	second assistant camera: second unit
Víctor Sarasa	....	electrician
José Sánchez	....	electrician
José Tamayo Fernández	....	electrician
Dani Verge	....	gaffer: retake
Susana Vila	....	electrician: retake
Andalu Vila-San-Juan	....	second assistant camera
Guillermo Vázquez	....	film camera technician
Severin Woxholt	....	camera operator (as Severine Woxholt)
Miguel Ángel Viñas	....	camera intern (uncredited)

Casting Department
Beatriz Bartolomé	....	casting coordinator: Madrid casting
Javier Braier	....	casting: Buenos Aires
Leticia Criado	....	casting coordinator: Madrid casting
Dany Héricourt	....	assistant casting contact: France
Hervé Jakubowicz	....	casting contact: France
Mireia Juárez	....	casting assistant
Ana Matías	....	extras casting (as Anna Matías)
Diana Oliveras	....	casting assistant
Marc Robert	....	casting contact: France
Carmen Romero	....	extras casting
Irene Roqué	....	casting assistant
Ana Isabel Velásquez	....	casting coordinator
Marta Verdugo Pastor	....	casting assistant (as Marta Pastor)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Rebeca Comerma	....	costume assistant
Fran Cruz	....	costume assistant
Ana Cuerda	....	additional costume assistant
Sebastià Laporte	....	additional wardrobe
Elisabeth Martirena	....	aging artist
Edgar Molinos	....	tailor
Joaquín Montull	....	assistant costume designer
Neus Olivella	....	additional costume assistant
Nuria Pascual-Andujar	....	costume trainee (as Nuria Pascual)
Nuria Peña	....	costume assistant
Karin Quijada	....	additional costume assistant
Pepo Ruiz Dorado	....	aging artist: short time
Mónica Ballesta	....	additional wardrobe (uncredited)
Paula Chiappetta	....	additional wardrobe (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Jade E. Chatham	....	assistant editor (as Jade Welsh)
Miguel P. Gilaberte	....	digital intermediate colorist
Erika Manoni	....	assistant editor
Victor Martos	....	color timer
Jorge Ortiz Yus	....	colorist: dailies
Marc Panadés	....	third assistant editor
Laura Sanchez	....	digital intermediate editor
Brian Ufberg	....	first assistant editor
Marga Villalonga	....	digital intermediate coordinator

Music Department
Jordi Bonet	....	music sound engineer
Javier Casalla	....	musician
Albert Clemente	....	music sound engineer
Marçal Cruz	....	assistant music sound engineer
Lynn Fainchtein	....	music supervisor
Alejandro González Iñárritu	....	music producer
Alejandro González Iñárritu	....	musician
Anibal Kerpel	....	music producer
Anibal Kerpel	....	musician
Gustavo Santaolalla	....	music producer
Gustavo Santaolalla	....	musician

Transportation Department
Concha Fontenla	....	transportation coordinator
Francisco Rojo	....	driver: Directors mobilhome

Other crew
Pablo Alfaro	....	general administration
Priscila Amescua-Mendez	....	coordinator: Alejandro Gonzalez Iñárritu
Diego Arias	....	location scout
Sean Barclay	....	location scout: Scotland
Mark Beaumont	....	financial controller
José Bendicho	....	location scout (as Josep Bendicho)
Luis Botella	....	location scout
Eder García Camuera	....	production assistant
Núria Casanueva	....	script supervisor (as Nuria Casanueva)
Marisa Castelo	....	post-production legal services
Almudena Cormenzana	....	production coordinator
Simón de Santiago	....	general administration
Maureen Duffy	....	completion guarantor
Raúl Díaz	....	production secretary
Martín Elfman	....	location scout
Rosa Garcia Merino	....	unit publicist
Anna Garrofé	....	teacher
Pau Goñi	....	production team
Goyo Gámez	....	set production assistant
Mar Henche	....	payroll accountant
Daniel Holguín	....	coach
Margarita Huguet	....	production assistant
Peter Hutchison	....	completion bond company representative: Film Finances, Inc.
Laura Jou	....	child acting coach
Lluna Juvé	....	production assistant
Clara Lago	....	production accountant
Aleix Lladó	....	assistant to director
Jorge Llama	....	production staff
Soledad Martínez	....	coach: Maricel Álvarez
Eva Marín	....	location scout
Laura Mateos	....	production accountant
Tomeu Mestres	....	personal assistant: Javier Bardem
Juan Moreno	....	production staff
Noemi Oliete	....	cashier
Francesc Olivares	....	production assistant
Marc Panadés	....	production runner
Frank Panisello	....	extras coordinator
Nagore Pardo	....	location scout
Néstor Pellegrini	....	production assistant
Marc Pey	....	production manager assistant
Joanna Price	....	assistant accountant
Juan Reguera	....	location manager
Rui Telmo Romão	....	location assistant
Sofía Roura	....	location scout
Mercedes Selgas	....	assistant accountant
Mercedes Selgas	....	post-production accountant
Alexander Michael Sharp	....	location scout assistant
Rosa Subirà	....	production staff
Guillem Vidal-Folch	....	production coordinator
Quim Vives	....	locations: additional photography
Juanma Garrido	....	stand-in (uncredited)
Christina Won	....	assistant: Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu (uncredited

Thanks
Ferran Adrià	....	the director wishes to thank
Miguel Bosé	....	the director wishes to thank
Martina García	....	the producers wish to thank
Rodrigo García	....	the director wishes to thank
Julia Goytisolo	....	thanks (as Júlia Goytisolo)
Jordi Hereu	....	thanks
Carlos Jean	....	the producers wish to thank
Martirio	....	the producers wish to thank
Gaizka Mendieta	....	the producers wish to thank
Nacha Pop	....	the producers wish to thank
Nubla	....	the producers wish to thank
Fabiola Ordoyo	....	the producers wish to thank
Radio Futura	....	thanks
Mala Rodríguez	....	the producers wish to thank (as La Mala Rodríguez)
La Shica	....	the producers wish to thank
Kiko Veneno	....	the producers wish to thank

Production Companies

• Menageatroz (presents)
• Mod Producciones (presents)
• Focus Features (as Focus Features International) (in association with)
• Televisión Española (TVE) (with the participation of)
• Televisió de Catalunya (TV3) (as Televisió de Cataluya) (with the participation of)
• Ikiru Films

Distributors

• A-Film Distribution (2011) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• ARP Sélection (2010) (France) (theatrical)
• Bazuca Films (2011) (Chile) (theatrical)
• Chantier Films (2011) (Turkey) (theatrical)
• Diamond Pictures (2011) (Argentina) (theatrical) (as Diamond Films)
• Kino Swiat (201?) (Poland) (theatrical)
• LD Entertainment (2010) (USA) (theatrical)
• Maple Pictures (2010) (Canada) (theatrical)
• Monopole-Pathé (2010) (Switzerland) (theatrical)
• Optimum Releasing (2011) (UK) (theatrical)
• Phantom Film (2011) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Prokino Filmverleih (2010) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Roadside Attractions (2010) (USA) (theatrical)
• Shaw Organisation (2011) (Singapore) (theatrical)
• A-Film Home Entertainment (2011) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• A-Film Home Entertainment (2011) (Netherlands) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Castello Lopes Multimédia (2011) (Portugal) (all media)
• EDKO Film (2011) (Hong Kong) (DVD)
• Film1 (2011) (Netherlands) (TV) (limited)
• IPA Asia Pacific (2010) (Thailand) (all media)
• Lionsgate Home Entertainment (2011) (USA) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Madman Entertainment (2011) (Australia) (all media)
• Odeon (2011) (Greece) (all media)
• Paris Filmes (2011) (Brazil) (all media)
• Prokino Filmverleih (2011) (Germany) (DVD)
• Queen Film (2010) (Indonesia) (all media)
• Videocine S.A. de C.V. (2010) (Mexico) (all media)
• Vrijzinnig Protestantse Radio Omroep (VPRO) (2013) (Netherlands) (TV)

Special Effects

• Efe-X
• El Ranchito (visual effects)

Other Companies

• Barcelona Plato Film Commission  special thanks
• Compuhire  24 frame playback
• Digital Media Services (DMS)  digital marketing asset management
• Dolby Laboratories  sound mix
• Film Finances  completion guarantor
• Fredell Pogodin and Associates  Publicity
• Intelligent Media  international monitoring agency
• Ovide B S  video equipment
• Relativity Music Group  soundtrack

Also Known As:

MPAA:

Rated R for disturbing images, language, some sexual content, nudity and drug use

Runtime:

148 min

Country:

Mexico | Spain

Language:

Spanish | Chinese | Wolof

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby | Dolby Digital

Certification:

USA:R (certificate #46418) | Switzerland:14 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:14 (canton of Vaud) | UK:15 | Germany:16 | Ireland:15A | Sweden:15 | Canada:14A (British Columbia/Manitoba/Ontario) | Portugal:M/16 (Qualidade) | Brazil:16 | Singapore:M18 | Australia:MA (2011) | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Japan:PG12 | Netherlands:12 | South Korea:18

Filming Locations:

Navarra, Spain

Company:

Menageatroz

Trivia:

Alejandro González Iñárritu spent 14 months editing the film.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: In the scene with the three dead boys, as people are filing out while Uxbal stands at the door, the foot visible in the coffin nearest the door moves.

Quotes:

Bea:You can give up, let yourself go... or grit your teeth and hang on like stupid people do.

Movie Connections:

Featured in The 83rd Annual Academy Awards (2011) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Let the Music Play

Interesting, but hardly biutiful...

Biutiful is a departure and a confirmation for Mexican director Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu: on the one hand, it is another study of lives gone awry, with no punches pulled in regards to the misery experienced by the characters; on the other, it's the first film he's made he parted ways with screenwriter Guillermo Arriaga, who preferred to move on to other projects after Babel. Biutiful proves two things: firstly, Inarritu remains very good at constructing memorable images; secondly, these aren't worth quite as much without Arriaga's words.

Set in Barcelona, the film ditches the filmmaker's traditional fragmented, multi-character narrative, focusing solely on one imposing figure: Uxbal (Javier Bardem), a man who has to deal with his own imminent death from cancer, a dire relationship with his family (wife, kids and brother), his ties to local criminal activities and, more generally, the ugliness he sees every day walking down the streets. Surely the (intentionally misspelled) title must be ironic.

Working on the script himself, Inarritu goes for a simpler story, but doesn't renounce his penchant for harrowing material. In fact, Biutiful is undoubtedly the least cheerful film he's directed to this day, and that's saying something. His depiction of a gray, ugly Barcelona is faultless, exposing the city's seedy underbelly and disease (both physical and spiritual) with genuine, relentless storytelling passion. However, this is also detrimental to the film's impact: without Arriaga's more experienced take on the subject, the director doesn't know when to stop, throwing in one tragedy after another for the best part of the movie's 148 minutes, with no pause for breathing. It's almost too bleak, too tragic, to fully convince as a drama.

Does this mean all the praise Inarritu has received in the past was premature? Not really. Even his detractors usually acknowledge his talent with actors, and in this case, perhaps being aware of the script's shortcomings, he has hit the jackpot: from start to finish, Bardem is a revelation, justly awarded with the Best Actor prize in Cannes. Sure, he's always been a gifted thespian, and no stranger to difficult parts (see The Sea Inside), but here he's really in a class of his own. Communicating with his sad, tired eyes rather than his broken voice, he carries the whole picture with a stoic dignity that is always gripping and heartbreaking.

While easy to mock and criticize, Biutiful, for all its flaws, warrants at least one viewing on the grounds that it proves beyond doubt that sometimes a truly astounding performance can save an otherwise mediocre film.