By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 4 cats
Director: Venutra Pons
Starring: Jordi Bosch | Josep Maria Pou | María Botto | Núria Espert | Pablo Derqui | Rosa María Sardà
Original language title: Barcelona (un mapa)
Country: spain
Year: 2007
Running time: 90
IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1052005/
Bruce says: “Ventura Pons (BELOVED/FRIEND, FOOD OF LOVE) is noted for his melodramatic, comic films which often have gay themes. BARCELONA (A MAP), a venture into more traditional heterosexual dramatic content, is a slight departure although it is stylistically consistent with his previous work which focuses on dense dialogue revealing the psychological aspects of relationships. Pons fans should not worry, BARCELONA (A MAP) does have one gay character plus a cross-dresser.
“The most amazing thing about BARCELONA (A MAP) is that it sets up the viewer up for a conventional storytelling approach as it introduces characters that will be presumably interacting in some bizarre or unlikely way later on. That is not the case. Only one character has a complete story to tell; the others exist for supporting that goal.
“Ramon (José Maria Pou) was the doorman at the Barcelona Opera for 35 years until it burned down. He and his wife Rosa (Núria Espert) live in a large house and have rented rooms out to three lodgers who have been long time residents. When Ramon is diagnosed with cancer he feels he would like to die at home alone without the intrusion of outsiders. As the film begins, he breaks the news to Lola (Rosa Maria Sardà) a teacher and long term renter. Lola’s passion is wandering the
streets alone at night, looking at all the building her son, a famous architect, has built. Ramon asks her to leave. Next, Rosa approaches David (Pablo Derqui) a former football player who has become a security guard. Divorced and lonely he has only his football memories to keep him company. The third lodger is Violeta (Maria Botto), an Argentinean who for a time was Ramon’s lover.
“The interviews with the lodgers move the plot forward by revealing important facts about Ramon and Rosa’s relationship and the secrets they keep from one another and the rest of the world. The plot is so jam-packed that it is nearly impossible to believe so much could happen in just ninety minutes. Flashbacks include details of Rosa’s childhood and Ramon’s passion for dressing in women’s clothes that backstage at the opera. Missing links are supplied when Rosa’s gay brother Santi (Jordi Bosch) pays her a visit. Santi became a surgeon in hopes ‘I could find the soul.’ Pons’ characters combat loneliness and isolation in disparate ways. 4 cats
“BARCELONA (A MAP) was screened at the 2007 Toronto International Film Festival”