The Blue Star (film) explained

Native Name:
Nolink:yes
Director:Javier Macipe
Screenplay:Javier Macipe
Distributor:Wanda Visión
Language:Spanish
Cinematography:Álvaro Medina
Editing:Nacho Blasco

The Blue Star (Spanish; Castilian: '''La estrella azul'''|links=no) is a 2023 Spanish-Argentine drama film directed by Javier Macipe (in his directorial debut feature) inspired by the life of Aragonese musician Mauricio Aznar which stars Pepe Lorente.

Plot

Set in the 1990s,[1] the plot follows the plight of Spanish rocker Mauricio, who leaves his band and wanders around Latin America seeking to rediscover his musical vocation. He becomes acquainted with folk genres such as the chacarera in Santiago del Estero, and teams up with old musician .[2]

Production

The project was born as a commission from Mauricio Aznar's mother to Javier Macipe 18 years before the theatrical release of the film.[3] The film is a Spanish-Argentine co-production by MOD Producciones, El Pez Amarillo and Cimarrón, alongside La Charito Films and Prisma.[4] Filming began in 2020 in Zaragoza.[5] It was interrupted in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.[6] It resumed in Argentina in late 2022, shooting in locations such as Santiago del Estero.

Release

The film was selected for the 'New Directors' section of the 71st San Sebastián International Film Festival, premiering on 25 September 2023.[7] Its festival run also included screenings at the Warsaw Film Festival, the Seville European Film Festival, the Mar del Plata International Film Festival,[8] [9] and the 39th Santa Barbara International Film Festival. It was released theatrically in Spain on 23 February 2024.[10]

Reception

Philipp Engel of Cinemanía rated the film 4½ out of 5 stars deeming it to be "pure cinephile craftmanship, the emotion about a finely done work" in the verdict, while writing that the film has "a universal reach, infinitely broader than the band's fan club".[11]

Alberto Olmos of El Confidencial rated the film 5 out of 5 stars, deeming it to be "a very beautiful film, of good people, of sacred sadness" and "the best cinema possible".[12]

of Ara rated the film 4 out of 5 stars writing that "everything is diaphanous and poetic at the same time" in the film, while the biographical account "is imbued with a truly authentic emotion".[13]

Accolades

|-| rowspan = "3" | || 39th Santa Barbara International Film Festival || colspan = "2" | Nueva Vision Award for Spain / Latin America Cinema || || [14] |-| rowspan = "2" | 42nd Uruguay International Film Festival || colspan = "2" | Audience Award || || rowspan = "2" | [15] |-| colspan = "2" | Young Jury Award || |}

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: La estrella azul. sansebastianfestival.com. 17 September 2023.
  2. Web site: 'La estrella azul', la película insipirada en el rockero zaragozano Mauricio Aznar que va a San Sebastián. Cine con Ñ. 14 July 2023.
  3. Web site: eldiario.es. Sara. Rodríguez Pachón. 'La estrella azul': llega a los cines la vida de Mauricio Aznar y otras estrellas anónimas. 22 February 2024 .
  4. Web site: rtve.es. 'La estrella azul': el cartel de la película, en primicia en RTVE Play. 5 September 2023.
  5. Web site: El rodaje de 'La estrella azul', primer largo de Javier Macipe, afronta su recta final. Diario de Teruel. 2 February 2023. Miguel Ángel. Artigas.
  6. Web site: Se retoma dos años después el rodaje de 'La estrella azul', ópera prima de Javier Macipe. Audiovisual451. 29 November 2022.
  7. Web site: Buenas sensaciones en el primer pase de 'La Estrella Azul' en el Festival de Cine de San Sebastián. CarTV. 25 September 2023.
  8. Web site: Se estrena el tráiler de 'La estrella azul', la película del zaragozano Javier Macipe. Heraldo de Aragón. 22 December 2023.
  9. Web site: "La estrella azul": el encuentro entre el músico español Mauricio Aznar y el padre de la chacarera. Infobae. 8 November 2023. Noelia. Gómez.
  10. Web site: 'La estrella azul', la película que redescubre al cabecilla de Más Birras y traslada a una arcadia musical. El Periódico de Catalunya. 8 March 2024. Ramón. Vendrell. Prensa Ibérica.
  11. Web site: Cinemanía. 21 February 2024. Crítica de 'La estrella azul': apuesta por el rock 'n' roll. Philipp. Engel. 20minutos.es.
  12. Web site: 'La Estrella azul': esta película es demasiado buena para ser española (¡es aragonesa!). Alberto. Olmos. Alberto Olmos. 8 March 2024. El Confidencial.
  13. Web site: Ara. 22 February 2024. Una emocionante crónica sobre el legendario Mauricio Aznar. Paula Arantzazu. Ruiz.
  14. Web site: Variety. Diego. Ramos Bechara. 'TransMexico,' 'Edge of Everything,' 'Andragogy' Among Santa Barbara Film Festival Winners. 17 February 2024.
  15. Web site: Todos los premios del 42 Festival Cinematográfico Internacional del Uruguay (FCIU). EscribiendoCine. 31 March 2024.