| The Club | |
| Director: | Pablo Larraín |
| Music: | Carlos Cabezas |
| Cinematography: | Sergio Armstrong |
| Editing: | Sebastián Sepúlveda |
| Runtime: | 97 minutes[1] |
| Country: | Chile |
| Language: | Spanish |
| Gross: | $483,222[2] |
The Club (Spanish; Castilian: '''El Club''') is a 2015 Chilean drama film directed, co-produced and co-written by Pablo Larraín. It was screened in the main competition of the 65th Berlin International Film Festival[3] where it won the Jury Grand Prix.[4] It was selected as the Chilean entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 88th Academy Awards but it was not nominated.[5]
Four retired Catholic priests share a secluded house on the outskirts of a small Chilean beach town under the supervision of a vigilant female caretaker who used to be a nun. The four men are there to discreetly purge their alleged sins and crimes, including child abuse, baby-snatching for adoptions, and whistleblowing. They are not permitted to mingle with the townsfolk and are only allowed out during early morning and late night. Their only hobby is breeding a racing dog and entering competitions. Their routine changes when a new priest arrives, and a victim of his child abuse follows him, leading the priest to commit suicide. Subsequently, a new spiritual director arrives, disrupting their lives and routine.
The film was well received, with The Guardian giving it five stars and said Pablo Larraín was "at his most masterful".[6] Variety called it "an original and brilliantly acted chamber drama in which Larrain’s fiercely political voice comes through as loud and clear as ever".[7]
On Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an 88% score based on 89 reviews, with an average rating of 7.86/10. The site's consensus states: "The Club finds director Pablo Larraín continuing to pose difficult questions while exploring weighty themes -- and getting the most out of a talented cast."[8] Metacritic reports a 73 out of 100 score based on 26 reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[9]
| Year | Award | Category | Recipient | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | 65th Berlin International Film Festival | Golden Bear | Pablo Larraín | [10] | |
| Silver Bear Grand Jury Prize | |||||
| 73rd Golden Globe Awards | Best Foreign Language Film | The Club | [11] | ||
| 2016 | Apolo Awards | Best Film | The Club | [12] [13] | |
| Best Director | Pablo Larraín | ||||
| Best Original Screenplay | Guillermo Calderón, Pablo Larraín and Daniel Villalobos | ||||
| Best Editing | Sebastián Sepúlveda | ||||
| Best Sound | Miguel Hormazábal, Roberto Zuñiga, Ivo Moraga, Salomé Román and Mauricio Molina | ||||
| Best Supporting Actor | Roberto Farías | ||||
| Alfredo Castro | |||||
| Best Ensemble Cast | Roberto Farías, Antonia Zegers, Alfredo Castro, Alejandro Goic, Alejandro Sieveking, Jaime Vadell and Marcelo Alonso |