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THAT WAS LIFE

David Martín de los Santos - Coming of Old Age, 104' - TIFF Tokyo & Cluj, Seville Best Actress

2020

España

Fiction, Drama

1h 47m

Maria's stable, retired life drastically changes when the condition of a young patient sharing a hospital room abruptly worsens. This road movie celebrates human dignity with the ageless possibilities of life.

SYNOPSIS

Two Spanish women from different generations coincide in a hospital room in Belgium. María (Petra Martínez) has been living there for decades after emigrating when she was young, and Verónica (Anna Castillo) is a girl recently arrived in search of opportunities she never found in Spain. A strange friendship is forged between them which will lead María to set out on a return journey to the south of Spain with an unusual mission. What begins as a journey in search of Verónica's roots will become an opportunity to question certain principles on which she had based her life.

FESTIVALS

FESTIVALS:

33rd TIFF-Tokyo; Latin Beats Film Festival, Japan, D’A Film Festival, 50th Alcine Film Festival, ; 35th FilmFest DC, 25thMalaga Film Festival| ABYCINE| Alexandria IFF| | SEMINCI, Liverpool International Film Festival, Rabat International Author Film Festival, Best Actress and Best New Director Nominations; Golden Rooster Film Festival; Goya Nominee, Best Actress, Best First Film.


AWARDS:

17thSeville European Film Festival, Best Actress (Petra Martinez); 20th Transylvania International Film Festival, Best Actress (Petra Martinez); Liverpool International Film Festival, Best Film of the Festival, Best Feature, Best Director, Best Actress; Golden Rooster FF, China;  FEROZ Critiques Press Award, Best Actress (P. Martinez); – Cinehorizontes, Marseille FF, Audience Award, Youth Award, & Best Actress Award;  Abycine,Best Movie & Best Young Acting Career (Anna Castillo);  Alexandria Mediterranean FF, Egypt, Best Actress (Petra Martinez) & Best Opera Prima;  XV Festival de Cine Inédito de Mérida, Youth Award; Almeria International Film Festival 2020, 2nd Best First Film & Canal Sur Best Career (Petra Martinez), ; Tudela First-FF, Equality Award; Biznaga Paradise City, ALCINE, Best International Career (Petra Martinez), ALCINE; MUSOC- Asturias; Best Director, Casares New Andalusian FF;  Best Film & Best Actress (ASECAN);


QUOTES:

A rapturously moving debut." SCREEN   DAILY; "A gem" HARPER'S BAZAAR; "Surprising   and deeply moving" THE PLAYLIST;  “Heartbreakingly tender." ELLE; "An   actress in a state of grace." CINEMANIA; "An   illuminating glimmer about the possibility of reinventing   oneself." CINEUROPA; "Fantastic" ECARTELERA;   “Resounding success both for the depth of its story and for the   liveliness of its characters" VAVEL



Youth Award

  • D'A Barcelona 2021 (Special Screening)

  • Malaga Film Festival 2021 (Special Screening)

  • Film Fest DC. Washington Film Festival (Official Selection)

  • London Spanish Film Festival (Official Selection)

  • Transilvania International Film Festival (TIFF) (Official Selection. Starts July 23rd)

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