''Cork'' ( ca, Suro, links=no) is a 2022 Spanish rural drama film directed by Mikel Gurrea which stars

Vicky Luengo Vicky Luengo (born 7 April 1990) is a Spanish film, television and stage actress. Biography She was born on 7 April 1990 in Palma de Mallorca, but after fours years she moved with her mother and brother to Barcelona, where she was raised. She ...

and Pol López alongside Ilyass El Ouahdani. It is shot in

Catalan Catalan may refer to: Catalonia From, or related to Catalonia: * Catalan language, a Romance language * Catalans, an ethnic group formed by the people from, or with origins in, Northern or southern Catalonia Places * 13178 Catalan, asteroid #1 ...

Plot

Set in rural

Catalonia Catalonia (; ca, Catalunya ; Aranese Occitan: ''Catalonha'' ; es, Cataluña ) is an autonomous community of Spain, designated as a ''nationality'' by its Statute of Autonomy. Most of the territory (except the Val d'Aran) lies on the north ...

, the plot follows a couple (Elena and Iván) who moves from the city to the countryside to run an inherited

cork Cork or CORK may refer to: Materials * Cork (material), an impermeable buoyant plant product ** Cork (plug), a cylindrical or conical object used to seal a container ***Wine cork Places Ireland * Cork (city) ** Metropolitan Cork, also known as G ...

plantation, involving as outsiders in the escalating tension between local and immigrant cork workers.

Cast

as Elena * Pol López as Iván * Ilyass El Ouahdani as Karim

Production

Gurrea's debut feature, the project was developed at the San Sebastián's Ikusmira Berriak 2016 Residency, Sources2 and the Sam Spiegel Film Lab. The screenplay was penned by Gurrea alongside Francisco Kosterlitz.

Laia Costa Laia Costa Bertrán () (born February 18, 1985) is a Spanish actress who has worked in Spain, Russia, Germany, Argentina, Italy, United Kingdom and the United States. Life and career Costa was born in Barcelona, Spain. Costa obtained a degree ...

was originally a cast choice for one of the leads, but eventually

was cast as the protagonist. The film was produced by Lastor Media alongside Malmo Pictures and Irusoin, with the participation of TV3, EiTB, and funding from ICAA, , and support from Creative Europe's

MEDIA Media may refer to: Communication * Media (communication), tools used to deliver information or data ** Advertising media, various media, content, buying and placement for advertising ** Broadcast media, communications delivered over mass e ...

. It was shot in

in locations of the province of Girona, including the Albera Massif ( Alt Empordà), with, in addition to the three leads, a cast consisting of non-professional actors, primarily cork workers. Shooting started on 19 July 2021.

Release

The film was selected for screening at the

70th San Sebastián International Film Festival The 70th San Sebastián International Film Festival took place from 16 to 24 September 2022 in San Sebastián, Gipuzkoa, Spain. The awards were announced on 24 September 2022, with '' The Kings of the World'' winning the Golden Shell. Backgroun ...

's main competition, where it was presented on 19 September 2022. Distributed by A Contracorriente Films, it is set to be theatrically released on 2 December 2022.

Reception

Jonathan Holland of ''

ScreenDaily ''Screen International'' is a British film magazine covering the international film business. It is published by Media Business Insight, a British B2B media company. The magazine is primarily aimed at those involved in the global film business. ...

'' wrote that the film "tells its tale unfussily and efficiently, with few stylistic flourishes".

Accolades

, - , rowspan = "4" align = "center" , 2022 , , rowspan = "3" ,

, , colspan = "2" , Irizar Basque Film Award , , , , rowspan = "3" , , - , colspan = "2" , Fipresci Award , , , - , colspan = "2" , Euskal Gidoigileen Elkartea Award , , , - , 18th

Zurich Film Festival Zurich Film Festival (ZFF) is an annual film festival that has been held in Zürich, Switzerland, since 2005. The festival's main focus is to promote emerging filmmakers from all over the world. In three competition categories only first, secon ...

, colspan="2", Best International Feature Film , , , - , rowspan = "12" align = "center" , 2023 , , rowspan = "10" ,

15th Gaudí Awards The 15th Gaudí Awards ceremony, organised by the Catalan Film Academy, will be held on 22 January 2023 at the MNAC's Oval Room. It will be hosted by . Background The awards added three new categories, namely that of Best New Director, Best A ...

, , colspan = "2" , Best Film , , , , rowspan = "10" , , - , Best New Director , , Mikel Gurrea , , , - , Best Actress , , Vicky Luengo , , , - , Best Actor , , Pol López , , , - , Best Original Screenplay , , Mikel Gurrea, Francisco Kosterlitz , , , - , Best Production Supervision , , Mayca Sanz , , , - , Best Art Direction , , Isona Rigau Heras , , , - , Best Editing , , Ariadna Ribas , , , - , Best Original Score , , Clara Aguilar , , , - , Best Sound , , Leo Dolgan, Xanti Salvador , , , - , rowspan = "2" , 37th Goya Awards , , Best New Director , , Mikel Gurrea , , , , rowspan = "2" , , - ,

Best Actress Best Actress is the name of an award which is presented by various film, television and theatre organisations, festivals, and people's awards to leading actresses in a film, television series, television film or play. The first Best Actress aw ...

, , Vicky Luengo , ,

References

{{reflist 2020s Catalan-language films Spanish drama films Films shot in the province of Girona Films set in Catalonia Films about internal migration Films about immigration to Spain 2022 drama films 2022 films 2020s Spanish films 2022 directorial debut films