Camino
Directed byJavier Fesser
Written byJavier Fesser
Produced by
Starring
CinematographyAlex Catalán
Edited byJavier Fesser
Music by
  • Rafa Arnau
  • Mario Gosálvez
Production
companies
Distributed byAlta Classics
Release dates
  • 25 September 2008 (2008-09-25) (SSIFF)
  • 17 October 2008 (2008-10-17) (Spain)
Running time
143 minutes
CountrySpain
LanguageSpanish

Camino is a 2008 Spanish drama film directed by Javier Fesser starring Nerea Camacho as the title character alongside Carmen Elías, Mariano Venancio and Manuela Vellés.

The plot is inspired by (and dedicated to) the real story of Alexia González-Barros, a girl who died from spinal cancer at age 14 in 1985 and who is in process of canonization.[1] The girl's family (related to the Opus Dei) did not agree with the film and so controversy mired the film since the very beginning, and arguably only served to increase interest in the film.[2]

The film swept the 23rd Goya Awards, winning in 6 categories, including 4 of the Big 5 (Best Picture, Director, Original Screenplay and Actress).

Plot

Camino and her family belong to the Opus Dei.[3] She develops a crush for a boy (Cuco/Jesús).[3][4] Camino's elder sister is a Catholic acolyte, deliberately kept from contacting her family. Suppressing open signs of normal maternal grief, the mother seems almost inhuman in urging her dying daughter to "offer up" her suffering for Jesus. The father struggles to protect his daughter from a concerted effort to canonize her (even before her death) by his wife, elder daughter, and Catholic officials. Even the hospital medical staff seem to be complicit in this.

Jesús, the name Camino invokes, is not Christ, but that of her normal schoolgirl crush. This is shown in dream sequences she experiences throughout the film.

Cast

Release

The film premiered at the San Sebastián International Film Festival's official competition.[8] Distributed by Alta Classics,[9] it was theatrically released in Spain on 17 October 2008.[10]

Reception

The film won six Goya Awards, including best picture, best director, and best original screenplay.[11]

Criticism by the González-Barros family

Alexia's siblings said that the film was a distortion of the girl's history. They also objected to Fesser's use of Alexia's full name in his dedication, despite him having undertaken not to directly identify her.[12]

In reaction to the film, director Pedro Delgado released a documentary about the life of Alexia González-Barros in 2011, including video footage from the latter's family archives.[13]

Accolades

Year Award CategoryNominee(s) ResultRef.
200914th Forqué AwardsBest PictureWon[14]
23rd Goya AwardsBest FilmWon[11][15]
Best DirectorJavier FesserWon
Best Original ScreenplayJavier FesserWon
Best ActressCarme EliasWon
Best Supporting ActorJordi DauderWon
Best New ActressNerea CamachoWon
Best Special EffectsArturo Balseiro, Ferrán Piquer, Raúl RomanillosNominated
18th Actors and Actresses Union AwardsBest Film Actress in a Leading RoleCarmen ElíasWon[16][17]
Best Film Actor in a Leading RoleMariano VenancioWon
Best Film Actor in a Secondary RoleJordi DauderWon
Best Film Actress in a Minor RoleLola CasamayorWon
Ana GraciaNominated
Best Film Actor in a Minor RolePepe OcioNominated
Vilnius International Film FestivalAudience's Award for Best FilmWon

See also

References

  1. ↑ González de Dios, Tasso Cereceda & Ogando Díaz 2012, p. 360.
  2. ↑ González de Dios, Tasso Cereceda & Ogando Díaz 2012, pp. 360–361.
  3. 1 2 Marshall, Lee (25 September 2008). "Camino". ScreenDaily.
  4. ↑ "Camino". The Hollywood Reporter. 24 September 2008.
  5. ↑ González de Dios, J.; Tasso Cereceda, M.; Ogando Díaz, B (2012). "La mirada del cine al cáncer (II): cuando la Oncología pediátrica es la protagonista" (PDF). Pediatría Atención Primaria. 14 (56): 361. doi:10.4321/S1139-76322012000500013. ISSN 1139-7632 – via SciELO.
  6. 1 2 3 González de Dios, Tasso Cereceda & Ogando Díaz 2012, p. 361.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 ""Camino". Ficha artística y técnica". RTVE. 13 October 2008.
  8. ↑ "«Camino» vuelve a los cines". La Voz de Galicia. 4 February 2009.
  9. ↑ "Camino". Madrid Film Office. Madrid Destino Cultura Turismo y Negocio S.A. Retrieved 10 June 2022.
  10. ↑ Pereda, Olga; Fernández, Juan (3 February 2009). "'Camino' volverá a las salas tras su gran triunfo en los Goya". El Periódico de Catalunya.
  11. 1 2 "Especial Premios Goya 2009". El País (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 2009-10-29.
  12. ↑ "Family members deplore filmmaker's distortion of girl under consideration for sainthood". Catholic News Agency. October 1, 2008. Retrieved March 14, 2016.
  13. ↑ "The real story of Alexia" (in Spanish). La Razon. Archived from the original on 2011-10-05. Retrieved 2012-05-04.
  14. ↑ "'Camino' gana el Premio Cinematográfico José María Forqué". Fotogramas. 15 January 2009.
  15. ↑ "Camino". Premios Goya. Retrieved 19 December 2021.
  16. ↑ "Penélope Cruz y Chus Lampreave, rivales en los Premios de la Unión de Actores". 20minutos.es (in Spanish). 19 January 2009. Retrieved 16 November 2021.
  17. ↑ "El filme ´Camino´ arrasa en los Premios de la Unión de Actores". El Periódico de Aragón (in Spanish). 11 March 2009. Retrieved 16 November 2021.
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