My Name Is Juani (2006)

A pair of women leave their small town and dud boyfriends behind for fun in Madrid.

Director:

Bigas Luna

Writers:

Bigas Luna (screenplay), Carmen Chaves Gastaldo (screenplay)

Stars:

Verónica Echegui, Dani Martín, Laya Martí

4 wins & 6 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Verónica Echegui	...	Juani
Dani Martín	...	Jonah
Laya Martí	...	Vane
Gorka Lasaosa	...	Nacho
José Chaves	...	Padre Juani
Mercedes Hoyos	...	Madre Juani
Ferran Madico	...	Productor Olavarría
Marcos Campos	...	Marcos
Manuel Santiago	...	Raúl Futbolista
Benito Sagredo	...	Capi
Gaëlle Diego	...	Loles
María González	...	Jessi
Joana López	...	Nadia
Abraham de Torres	...	Lumi
William Miller	...	Dani

Storyline

A pair of women leave their small town and dud boyfriends behind for fun in Madrid.

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Plot Keywords:

male nudity | thong | sms | female nudity | cheating on girlfriend | 

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Taglines:

La Juani es lo + (La Juani is the best)

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama

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Details

Official Sites:

Official site [Spain]

Country:

Spain

Language:

Spanish English

Release Date:

20 October 2006 (Spain)

Also Known As:

Eu Sou Juani

Filming Locations:

Badalona, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain

Box Office

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$2,983,285

Company Credits

Production Co:

Media Films, El Virgili Films, Televisión Española (TVE)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

91 min (European Film Market)

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Connections

Features Ong-Bak: The Thai Warrior (2003)

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Soundtracks

Aserejé
Performed by Las Ketchup
Written by Queco
© 2002 by Francisco Manuel Ruiz Gómez, Sony ATV Music Publishing Holdings LLC, S.C.
Courtesy of Shaketown Music, S.L. / Sony BMG Music Entertainment España

User Reviews

Decent and typical Bigas Luna film about a stubborn girl with big dreams and aspirations.

Commercial and big box-office Spanish film upon a pair of women leave their small town and dud sweethearts behind for fun in Madrid . Juani (Verónica Echegui) comes from a very poor background , having grown up in a poor suburban village of Spain from little town outskirts . She has problems at home and argues incessantly with her boyfriend (Diego Martin) who cheats her and with whom she has been since she was 15 . Soon his infidelity with the abusive relationship she has with her boyfriend and overall uselessness , as well as the limitations of her poor and small town, become unbearable for Juani and she along with her best friend (Laya Martí) decide to go the big city , Madrid . At first the big city, a complete opposite of their hometown, couldn't seem to be a better place for their teenager expectations of life . In a visit home Juani almost decides she will not return to Madrid , and will instead come back to old relationships and live again in her parents' house . She expresses these sentiments to her mother who tells her that she loves Juani's father (Jose Chaves) , but always asks herself what her life would have been like had she left , like Juani . After speaking to her mother (Mercedes Hoyos) Juani realizes that she can not give up though she has less Naïve expectations , hoping to escape her ex-sweetheart and the future she would have were she to stay in her town . But she goes on her dream because ¨La Juani is the best¨ , in spite of her way is full of flops and disillusionments.

Entertaining and modern picture about a young girl called Juani who along with her best friend leave for Madrid in search of a better life . First part of Bigas Luna's Trilogy about ambition followed by ¨Di Di Hollywood¨ with Elsa Pataky in a similar role . This stirring as well as erotic story is a passionate retelling and moving tale about wishes , lies and disappointments , but including strong sex scenes with loads of nudism . This is a moving tale about ambition , luxury , desire in which a mean young attempts to build her ambitious future : to be a Hollywood actress . The storyline relies heavily on the continued ambition of the starring , including a lot of sexual scenes , almost soft-core , but it doesn't make boring , however the film is fun . As usual in Bigas Luna films , ¨Yo Soy La Juani¨ explores the darkest depths of eroticism and stereotypical Spanish machismo represented on the character played by Diego Martin . The moral of the story becomes clear : never forget what you set out to get, despite the struggles that come your way, and never give up on your dreams . Nice acting by Verónica Echegui as an obstinate young whose naïve dreams are soon shattered by the ruthlessness of their dream city , Madrid , where she has been having a hard time . She won Sant Jordi Awards Best Spanish Actress ; Spanish Actors Union Newcomer Award Female ; and Nominated Goya Awards Best New Actress . Furthermore, the movie packs a colorful cinematography by Albert Pascual, shot in Tarragona , Reus , Torredembarra and Madrid . Atmospheric musical score filled with rap and several songs from Mala Rodríguez , Facto Delage , Placebo , Haze , Hanna and many others .

The motion picture was decently directed by Bigas Luna , following his particular style. He often uses in his films twisted events , erotic scenes and surrealist images. . He was a Bon Vivant who along with his wife, produced wine, ham, and organic products ; they are well shown in his films . In 1990 the producer Andrés Vicente Gómez persuaded him to return to cinema and entrusted to him the direction of Las Edades De Lulú (The Ages of Lulu), an erotic drama about a young woman exploring extreme sexual practices , this was a commercial success . Without abandoning his dedication to painting and photography, reflected in numerous exhibitions, he began the well-known "Iberian Trilogy" with Jamón Jamón ("Ham, Ham", 1992), Huevos de Oro ("Golden Balls", 1993) and La Teta y La Luna ("The Tit and the Moon", 1994). Jamón Jamón, which launched the careers of both Javier Bardem and the 16-year-old Penélope Cruz was a major international success and won the Silver Lion at Venice in 1992. Cruz returned in Volavérunt (1999), a film about the relationship between Francisco Goya and the Duchess of Alba . This film ¨Yo Soy La Juani¨ is stylishly photographed and smartly designed and here Bigas Luna delivers his ordinary and erotic goods in cool sense of style .