The August Virgin (2019)

Eva is not satisfied with her life. In an act of faith, she decides to stay in Madrid over the summer, when all the other locals leave. August offers her a chance to start from scratch.

Director:

Jonás Trueba

Writers:

Itsaso Arana, Jonás Trueba

Stars:

Itsaso Arana, Vito Sanz, Isabelle Stoffel

5 wins & 15 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Itsaso Arana	...	Eva
Vito Sanz	...	Agos
Isabelle Stoffel	...	Olka
Joe Manjón	...	Joe (as Joe Manjon)
María Herrador	...	María
Luis Alberto Heras	...	Luis (as Luis Heras)
Mikele Urroz	...	Sofía
Naiara Carmona
Simon Pritchard	...	Simon
Violeta Rebollo
Sigfrid Monleón	...	Propietario del piso
Francesco Carril	...	Francesco
David López
Julen Berasategui
Lucía Perlado	...	Lucía

Storyline

On the cusp of turning thirty-three, charming and soft-spoken Eva makes an unorthodox decision. Unlike the majority of her fellow Madrileños, as the otherwise bustling-with-people city of Madrid shuts down for August, the hottest and loneliest month of the year, Eva decides to spend the entire period in the stifling metropolis in search of an opportunity. As a result, yearning for change and to rediscover herself, Eva meanders through the city's streets that teem with seasonal festivals and religious festivities for the Holy Virgin, filling languid days of summer ennui with visits to museums, old friends, and familiar places. Now, all that Eva needs is a revelation to wipe the slate clean and start afresh. Will Eva find answers in her intimate journey of soul-searching on the hot month of August?

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Plot Keywords:

summer | madrid spain | female protagonist | four word title | month in title | 

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Genres:

Drama

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Did You Know?

Trivia

The Leonard Cohen T-shirt that Sofía lends Eva is the same one that appeared in the first film by Jonás Trueba: "Todas las canciones hablan de mí".

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Connections

References Sunrise (1927)

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Soundtracks

La misa que voy yo
Popular
Performed by Soleá Morente

User Reviews

The easygoing residents of Madrid engage in socializing and soul searching during summer

I went to watch the movie the first night it opened in Athens and I was not disappointed. It has a very specific social context, the social world of thirty something Madrilenos who seem very easygoing and direct in their affective relationships, something that a traditionalist Catholic or practicing Muslim might find strange or unfamiliar. They are steeped in the hedonistic mentality of our times although they do not lack warmth or emotional depth. I have visited Madrid once and had a very good time therefore I had an additional motive to like the movie and I have to admit that I was very moved when I saw the heroine staring for sometime before the lady of Elche( Dama d' Elche), a striking Celtiberian sculpture, that I had also admired when visiting the Archeological museum of Madrid. Everybody seems approachable and easygoing and one wonders if the movie seeks to portray a 68 utopia in the present. There are some memorable scenes such as a an impromptu theatrical on the road or an alternative therapy session which display elements of life that high culture now and in the past views with disdain or at least condescension although they are chunks of the lived experience of many people. I advice you to watch this movie unless you are socially conservative and your sensibility might be offended by what a certain section of the public considers as the degeneration and laxisme of modern metropolitan life. Otherwise this experiment in sociability and soulsearching has its charms.

Details

Country:

Spain

Language:

Spanish English

Release Date:

21 August 2020 (USA)

Also Known As:

The August Virgin

Filming Locations:

Madrid, Spain

Box Office

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$488,299

Company Credits

Production Co:

Ilusos Films, Los, Comunidad de Madrid, Instituto de la Cinematografía y de las Artes Audiovisuales (ICAA)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

125 min

Color:

Color