MARCAL FORES

Bil’s rating (out of 5):  BBB

Spain, 2012.  Escola Superior de Cinema i Audiovisuals de Catalunya, Escándalo Films, ICF Institut Català de Finances, Institut Català de les Empreses Culturals, Instituto de Crédito Oficial, Instituto de la Cinematografía y de las Artes Audiovisuales, Televisió de Catalunya, Televisión Española.  Screenplay by Marcal Fores, Enric Pardo, Aintza Serra.  Cinematography by Eduard Grau.  Produced by Cruz Rodriguez.  Music by Natalie Ann Holt.  Production Design by Gemma Fauria.  Costume Design by Angelica Munoz.  Film Editing by Jordi Lopez, Elena Ruiz, Bernat Vilaplana.  

A young boy attending an English school in Catalan country can’t shake his devotion to his childhood teddy bear, who moves and speaks (in a creepy computerized voice) on screen.  At school there is a new male student with gorgeous curls and a dark habit who captures his eye, and navigating the two issues takes up much of the time of this sensual and captivating but unpleasant film.  Despite characters who never seek your approval and a dark sense of foreboding that is never satisfactorily resolved, it’s a memorable curiousity that will probably gain a cult following as the years progress.