A Male Explained

A Male
Director:Fabián Hernández Alvarado
Producer:Louise Bellicaud
Claire Charles-Gervais
Christoph Hahnheiser
Josune Hahnheiser
Ilse Hughan
Manuel Ruiz Montealegre
Starring:Felipe Ramírez Espitia
Cinematography:Sofia Oggioni
Editing:Esteban Muñoz
Music:Fabien Kourtzer
Mike Kourtzer
Studio:lack Forest Films
Fortuna Films
In Vivo Films
Medio de Contención Producciones
RTVC Play
Runtime:81 minutes
Country:Colombia
Germany
France
Netherlands
Language:Spanish

A Male (Spanish: Un varón) is a 2022 drama film written and directed by Fabián Hernández Alvarado in his directorial debut.[1] Starring Felipe Ramírez Espitia.[2] It is about a teenager who will have to face the ferocity of his neighborhood where the codes of masculinity and the law of the strongest is mandatory to survive.[3] It is a co-production between Colombia, Germany, France and the Netherlands.[4]

A Male had its world premiere on May 24, 2022, at Directors' Fortnight at the 75th Cannes Film Festival,[5] where it competed for the Caméra d'Or[6] and the Queer Palm.[7] It was selected as the Colombian entry for the Best International Feature Film at the 96th Academy Awards.[8]

Synopsis

Carlos lives in a boarding school in the center of Bogotá, a kind of refuge where the harshness and troubles of life are mitigated. Carlos longs to spend Christmas with his mother and sister, immersed in circles of urban violence. Upon leaving the boarding school, Carlos confronts the rigor of the streets of his neighborhood, where the law of the strongest, the most masculine prevails. He will have to choose between following these codes of masculinity or trusting his deep nature.[9]

Cast

The actors participating in this film are:[10]

Production

Principal photography began in 2021 for 5 weeks in the Las Cruces, San Bernardo and Santa Fe neighborhoods, as well as Los Mártires with the La Pepita, La Estanzuela and Voto Nacional neighborhoods and in Puente Aranda in the UPI Integral Protection Unit located in Bogotá, Colombia.[11]

Release

Festivals

A Male had its world premiere on May 24, 2022, at Directors' Fortnight at the 75th Cannes Film Festival,[12] then screened on August 4, 2022, at the 26th Lima Film Festival,[13] on September 22, 2022, at the 70th San Sebastian International Film Festival[14] and on March 24, 2023, at the Cartagena International Film Festival.[15]

Theatrical

It was released commercially on March 15, 2023, in French theaters[16] and on April 13 of the same year in Colombian theaters.[17]

Reception

Critical reception

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 86% of 7 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 7.5/10.[18]

Accolades

YearAward / FestivalCategoryRecipientResultRef.
2022Cannes Film FestivalCaméra d’OrA Male[19]
Queer Palm[20]
Guanajuato International Film FestivalBest International Feature Film[21]
Lima Film FestivalBest Picture[22] [23]
Special Jury Award
Best ActorFelipe Ramírez Espitia
Competition Fiction - Best CinematographySofía Oggioni Hatt
International Critics Jury Award for Best FilmA Male
Nara International Film FestivalGolden Shika Award[24]
San Sebastian International Film FestivalHorizontes Award[25] [26]
Sebastiane Award
São Paulo International Film FestivalBest Film - Jury Prize[27]
Paris Gay and Lesbian Film FestivalLibertés Chéries Award[28]
International Festival of New Latin American Cinema of HavanaArrecife Award[29]
Pingyao International Film FestivalJury Special Mention
2023Fribourg International Film FestivalGrand Prix[30]
Macondo AwardsBest Picture[31] [32]
Best DirectorFabián Hernández Alvarado
Best CinematographySofia Oggioni
Best Art DirectionJuan Bernal

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 2023-04-29 . 'Un varón' La opera prima de Fabián Hernández . 2023-08-08 . es.
  2. Web site: 2023-04-11 . Felipe Ramírez Espitia, protagonista de la película 'Un Varón' salió del Bronx al cine . 2023-08-08 . Noticias de Cali, Valle y Colombia - Periodico: Diario El País . spanish.
  3. Web site: Un varón, película recomendada de la semana en la Cinemateca de Bogotá Bogota.gov.co . 2023-08-08 . bogota.gov.co . es.
  4. Web site: 2023-04-04 . Un varón, película colombiana que expone los estragos de la masculinidad tóxica . 2023-08-08 . agenciadenoticias.unal.edu.co.
  5. Web site: Goodfellow . Melanie . Cannes Directors' Fortnight line-up includes Alex Garland, Mia Hansen-Løve, Mark Jenkin titles . 2023-08-08 . Screen . en.
  6. Web site: 2023-08-08 . 'Triangle of Sadness' wins Palme d'Or at Cannes Film Fest : NPR . . 2023-08-08 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230808194252/https://www.npr.org/2022/05/29/1101969473/triangle-of-sadness-wins-palme-dor-at-cannes-film-fest . 2023-08-08 .
  7. Web site: 2022-05-30 . Cannes Film Festival 2022: "Joyland" wins the Queer Palm . 2023-08-08 . GAY45 . en-US.
  8. Web site: 'Un varón', película que representará a Colombia en los premios Oscar . 2023-08-29 . Radio Nacional de Colombia.
  9. Web site: Cine Colombiano: UN VARÓN . 2023-08-08 . Cine Colombiano . es.
  10. Web site: Reparto Completo de Un varón (Cine.com) . 2023-08-08 . cine.com . es.
  11. Web site: Locaciones para filmar Comisión Fílmica de Bogotá . 2023-08-08 . filmingbogota.gov.co . es.
  12. Web site: 'Un varón', la cinta colombiana presentada en Cannes que cuestiona la presión social de ser un hombre 'de verdad' . 2023-08-08 . infobae . es-ES.
  13. Web site: Un varón. A Male. 26 Festival de Cine de Lima. 9 August 2023. es.
  14. Web site: 2022-09-22 . 'Un varón', del colombiano Fabián Hernández, se destaca en San Sebastián . 2023-08-08 . EL HERALDO . es.
  15. Web site: 2023-03-23 . De Cannes al Ficci, 'Un varón' también se estrenará en Cartagena . 2023-08-08 . Noticias de Cali, Valle y Colombia - Periodico: Diario El País . spanish.
  16. News: 2023-03-15 . Les sorties cinéma de la semaine : " Toute la beauté et le sang versé ", " A pas aveugles ", " Un varon "… . fr . Le Monde.fr . 2023-08-08.
  17. Web site: 2023-03-30 . La película colombiana 'Un varón, los hombres no lloran' llega a las salas de cine, en abril . 2023-08-08 . Noticias de Cali, Valle y Colombia - Periodico: Diario El País . spanish.
  18. Web site: A Male - Rotten Tomatoes . 19 October 2023 . Fandango . en.
  19. Web site: War Pony: Camera d'Or Winner . 2023-08-08 . en-GB.
  20. Web site: 2022-05-27 . Pakistani trans drama wins Cannes 'Queer Palm' award . 2023-08-08 . France 24 . en.
  21. Web site: » Ganadores 2022 . 2023-08-08 . es-MX.
  22. Web site: Ficción Archives . 2023-08-08 . 27 Festival de Cine de Lima.
  23. Web site: 2022-08-14 . La película colombiana "Un varón" triunfa en el Festival de Cine de Lima . 2023-08-08 . Diario AS . es-co.
  24. Web site: 2022-09-27 . Nara International Film Festival – Awards 2022 . 2023-08-08 . Asian Film Festivals . en.
  25. Web site: 2022-08-11 . Ana Cristina Barragán, Natalia Beristain, Pavel Giroud, Patricio Guzmán y Carlos Lechuga competirán por el Premio Horizontes Latinos . 2023-08-08 . Panorama Audiovisual . es.
  26. Web site: Lodge . Guy . 2022-09-24 . Colombian Film 'Kings of the World' Tops San Sebastian Award Winners . 2023-08-08 . Variety . en-US.
  27. Web site: 46ª Mostra Internacional de Cinema em São Paulo . 2023-08-08 . 46ª Mostra Internacional de Cinema em São Paulo.
  28. Web site: 2023-06-01 . 'Un Varón': La película colombiana sigue disponible en salas de cine después de siete semanas, descubre dónde verla . 2023-08-08 . www.sensacine.com.co . es-CO.
  29. Web site: Noticias: Festival de La Habana 2022: "Argentina, 1985" ganó cuatro premios - Otros Cines . 2023-08-08 . www.otroscines.com.
  30. Web site: Lauréats Festival International de Films de Fribourg . 2023-08-08 . www.fiff.ch . fr.
  31. Web site: La lista completa de nominados a los Premios Macondo 2023 . 2023-11-07 . Radiónica.
  32. Web site: Bedoya . Ricardo . 2023-11-06 . Los Reyes del Mudo película vencedora en los Premios Macondo 2023 . 2023-11-07 . Caracol Radio . es.