The opening night of this year’s Spanish Film Festival features a film that promises something for everyone. A series of heart-warming, funny and sexy stories set in Barcelona seems an obvious choice to highlight the passion and energy that Spanish cinema embodies.
This is a film entirely dependent on excellent acting and well-written dialogue. The characters (given their very limited screen time) must each capture the audience’s attention quickly—and they do. With each new vignette we are launched, with scarcely the chance to take a breath, into an emotional situation.
From the husband desperately trying to win back his ex-wife (who is now pregnant to another), to the colleagues that meet in the park only to discover that their meeting is not by chance, to the worker looking to stray who is seduced by the office siren (yet her seduction is far from what it seems), to a lift from a friend that offers a very unexpected journey—each story unerringly taps into the varying complexities of human relationships.
This is a feel-good film with a little something for everyone. For those yet to venture into the world of Spanish cinema, A Gun in Each Hand is an ideal starting point. It gives you a colourful array of Spanish characters, and the stories they tell are both entertaining and enjoyable.
Australia is very fortunate to have a range of well-conceived film festivals that offer a true taste of a nation’s artistic flavours. Don’t let the cold weather deter you; it’s worth warming up with the fiery spirit and superb comedy that is A Gun in Each Hand.
The Spanish Film Festival will be touring the country in June and July. For dates and full details visit: https://www.spanishfilmfestival.com.
In Sydney, you can find the festival screening at Palace’s Chauvel and Verona cinemas in Paddington.
Directed by: Cesc Gay
Starring: Ricardo Darín, Luis Tosar, Javier Cámara, Eduardo Noriega, Leonor Watling, Candela Peña, Leonardo Sbaraglia, Cayetana Guillén Cuervo
Rating: TBC
Runtime: 97mins
Release Date: Showing as part of the Spanish Film Festival at Palace Cinemas
Reviewer Rating: 4/5
