‘The Grandson’ is the title of the Spanish-Greek co-production directed by Nelly Reguera. The film which has finished shooting in Greece during this summer, stars the award-winning Spanish actress Carmen Machi, well-known from Pedro Almodovar’s films in which she has participated (‘Her Speech’, ‘Cracked Hugs’, ‘I Do Not Hold On’ and ‘The Skin I Live in’).
The movie is produced by Fasten Films, Homemade Films, Spain’s producer-distributor Bteam, ICAA, ICEC, RTVE, EURIMAGES, MOVISTAR and TV3. The shooting was done in Athens with the support of the Spanish Ministry of Culture, the Hellenic Film Center, ERT, EKOME, as well as the Athens Film Office & Creative Europe – MediaGreece’s.
The story is told from the point of view of the main character, Marisa, a 66-year-old recently retired doctor who is desperately looking to find a new meaning in her life. Since her three children have not given her a grandchild, who so much desires, she decides to travel to Greece in order to offer her help in a refugee camp. There she meets Ahmed, an unaccompanied refugee boy with whom, she starts to develop a tender relationship. Marisa feels she’s found the grandson she wanted. But when her journey is coming to an end, Marisa is confronted with separation. How to go back to Spain now that he has met Ahmed? Desperate, she leaves with the young child from the shelter in an attempt to take him with her to Spain. She believes they will both be very happy there. But when reality becomes an obstacle to her plans, fantasies and good intentions stop.
Reguera speaking about the film she said: “I’ve always been interested in characters who refuse to accept disappointment; who don’t know how to deal with what they don’t like about their lives, and, powerless, start rushing forward no matter how crazy the way may be”. It is worth noting that the story of the film is inspired by the life of the director’s mother, who also goes through the difficult period of retirement but also by personal experiences she has gained from visits, as a volunteer, in refugee accommodation structures in Greece.
Directed by: Nely Reguera
Screenplay: Nely Reguera, Valentina Viso, Eduard Solà |
Producers: Adriá Monés Murlans, Maria Drandaki, Alex Lafuente |
Photo address: Aitor Echeverria
Editing: Aina Calleja |
Music: Javier Rodero
Scenes: Stavros Liokalos
Costumes: Aitziber Sanz
Sound Recording: Amanda Villavieja |
Makeup: Kyriaki Melidou Hairstyles: Alexandros Priftis
Production management: Spyros Apostolatos
Starring: Carmen Machi, Aldarweesh Almanawer Alhemam, Itsaso Arana, Arnau Comas, Delia Brufau, Yohan Levy, Henrietta Rauth, Giannis Tsortekis
