Synopsis

Michel de Assantes is a prestigious French plastic surgeon who, disenchanted with life and serious problems of impotence, decides to commit suicide by throwing himself out of the window of his practice in Paris. But at the last moment he changes his mind and opts to get on a pilgrim’s bicycle and travel to Timbuktu, the exotic name of which seems to hide the secret of happiness.

His journey is interrupted when he suffers an accident near Calabuch, a small village on the Levantine coast that proves to be as chaotic as the existence he intended to leave behind. There he meets a series of disparate characters, including the sensual and impetuous Trine and the mystical visionary Encarna, two sisters who symbolically baptise him and take him into their home, trying to help him overcome his hypothetical impotence. Coinciding practically with the turn of the millennium, Michel will experience a series of delirious situations, shared with the inhabitants of this particular Mediterranean town: Trine and Encarna’s vicious brother, an anarchic nudist, a priest convicted of murder, disobedient immigrants, corrupt politicians and businessmen…

Technical specifications

Production: Anola Films (Madrid) – Calabuch Films (Madrid) – Freedonia Producciones, S.L. (Valencia), with the participation of Televisión Española, Canal Plus and Televisión Valenciana.
Director: Luis García Berlanga.
Script: Luis García Berlanga, Jorge Berlanga, Antonio Gómez Rufo and Javier G. Amezua.
Photography: Hans Burmann (eastmancolor).
Music: Luis Mendo and Bernardo Fuster.
Editing: Iván Aledo.
Art director: Wolfgang Burmann.
Costumes: María José Iglesias.
Producers: José Luis Olaizola M., Rafael Díaz-Salgado, Jordi García Candau and José Ferrándiz.
Production manager: Javier Zulueta.
Assistant director: Julián Nuñez.
Second assistant director: Almudena Martín.
Continuity: Montserrat Ordorica.
Second unit of photography: Guillermo Molini.
Camera assistant: Pablo Burmann.
Second unit assistant: Eva Caño.
Still photographer: Jordi Monferrer.
Production assistant: Carlos Ferrándiz.
Directioners: Laura López and Nano Montero.
Make-up: Almudena Fonseca.
Hairdresser: Martha Marín.
Make-up assistant: Sonia Teruel.
Sculptures: Jack Vanarsky.
Sound: Julio Recuero.
Sound editing: James Muñoz.
Digital effects: La Luna de Madrid.
Production and post-production coordination: Rosa-Blanca Adrián.
Chief accountant: Bibiana Olaizola.
Assistant editors: Enrique Domínguez and Lourdes Olaizola.
Decoration assistants: Javier Mampaso.
Assistant costume designer: Lena Mossum.
Costume assistant: Rosario Esteban.
Costume designer: Alfonso Salcedo.
Make-up reinforcement: Antonio Simó and Beatriz de Mingo.
Hairdressing assistant: Pilar Montesinos.
Sound assistant: Carlos Culebras.
Microphone operator: Emilio Ferrando.
Assistant director: Elena Valverde.
Production assistants: Cayetano Olaizola, Ana Pérez Lorente and Manuel Sánchez.
Accounting assistant: Manuel Salvadores.
Camera assistants: Carlos Mischa Lluch, Rafael Maluenda and Miguel Valcárcel.
Surveillance: Ardeshir Kiani.
Coordination in Valencia: Ignacio Núñez and Francesc Ferrando.
Props on set: Álvaro Suárez and Tomás Prada.
Props: Juan Carlos Yáñez.
Chief electrician: Rafael García Martos.
Machinist: Ángel Gómez.
Electricians: Enrique Pérez and Alberto Arnal.
Meritorious of direction: Alicia Sánchez, Gemma Santatecla.
Production meritorious: Basilio Cantalapiedra and Ana Cámara.
Camera meritorious: Miguel Pérez.
Room effects: Manuel Carrión.
Mixing: Alfonso Pino, Alfonso Raposo and Jaime Fernández.
Music recording studios: Estudios Track and M-20 Estudios.
Music recording technicians: Francisco Gude, Óscar Herrador and Luca Petrica.
Editing: Lo Igloo P.C., S.L.
Sound recording: Exa.
Digital sound post-production: Filmigramas.
Laboratories: Fotofilm Madrid, S.A.
Raw material: Kodak.
Camera and Peewee: Hans Burmann.
Lighting equipment: Cine-tel.
Machine and crane equipment: Cinegrip.
Transport and generator: Ángel Megino.
Special effects: FX Special Effects.
Specialists: Ángel Plana School of Specialists.
Props: Hijos de Jesús Mateos, Mengíbar and Vázquez Hermanos.
Catering: LDC Catering.
Labour consultancy: Legiscine.
Product placement: Cinemarca and Prosolution.
Promotion coordinator: Pilar Morillo.
Insurance group: Caser.
Making-off: Guillemo Molini.
Production: ADM Management.

Cast

Michel Piccoli (Michel), Concha Velasco (Trine), Amparo Soler Leal (Encarna), Juan Diego (Boronat), Eusebio Lázaro (Vicente), Javier Gurruchaga (Gaby), Santiago Segura (cura), Fedra Lorente (Benilde), Manuel Alexandre (Siento), Guillermo Montesinos (Planas), Enrique San Francisco (abogado), José Sancho (Artemio), Mabel Lozano (enfermera), Cristina Collado (alcaldesa), Pilar Ortega (Olga), Alexis Valdés (Dani), Joaquín Climent (Planelles), Mapi Galán (Nicole), Luis Ciges (Federico Baamonde), José María Sacristán (regidor de Turismo), Josu Ormaetxe (señor Peñarrocha), Rossana Yanni (Madame Suzy), Antonio Resines (ciclista), Paco Catalá (camionero), Manuel Millán (agente Piñango), Pilar Punzano (Zou Zou), Jorge Sanz (teniente), Vivi Alba (huéspeda), Vicente Amaya (chófer de camión frigorífico), Manuel Bretón (nuevo cliente), Pilar Camón (madre nudista), Gaspar Cano (montero segundo), Livious Dube (Osaska), Gus Epam (negro), Karola Escarola (Nieves), Sofia Evans (checa nudista), Pablo Garaizabal (especialista), Concha García Conde (quiosquera), Fernando Granell (montero primero), Malena Gutiérrez (Conchi), María Lidón (chica joven), José María Lorenzo (sargento), Miguel Monrabal (fotógrafo), Javier Pérez (soldado), Carlos Pons (caporal Torralba del Pinar), Silvia Ramírez (Andrea), Jacobo Royo (agente Mínguez), Salomón San Juan (operario), Julio Silva (doble del Rey).

Songs

Songs: A ninguna parte (Luis Mendo and Bernardo Fuster / sung by Manolo Tena), Cambalache (E. Santos Descepolo and Juan Ortiz de Mendivil e Ibarra / sung by Luis Eduardo Aute) and Los loritos (music by Luis Mendo and Bernardo Fuster, lyrics by Jorge Berlanga i Javier Amezua / sung by Javier Gurruchaga, Concha Velasco i Amparo Soler Leal).

Awards received

Goya for Best Supporting Actor (Juan Diego).
OCIC Award and FIPRESCI Award for Best Ibero-American Film at the Mar de Plata Festival.

Additional information

Release date: 10 September 1999.

Acknowledgements

Costa Azahar-Castellón Provincial Council and the Town Council and people of Peñíscola. With the collaboration of the Generalitat Valenciana and the City of Arts and Sciences of Valencia.

Image gallery