''Mensaka'' ( es, Mensaka, páginas de una historia, links=no; ) is a 1998 Spanish drama film written and directed by Salvador García Ruiz (in his directorial feature debut) consisting of an adaptation of the novel ''Mensaka'' by

José Ángel Mañas José Ángel Mañas (Madrid, 22 October 1971) is a Spanish writer. Mañas is often included as a member of the generation of neorealist Spanish writers from the 1990s, along with Juan Gracia, Gabriela Bustelo, Ray Loriga and Lucía Etxebarria. Hi ...

. It stars

Gustavo Salmerón Gustavo Salmerón García (born August 27, 1970 in Madrid, Spain as Gustavo García Salmerón), is a Spanish actor and writer, known for ''Lots of Kids, a Monkey and a Castle'' (2017), ''Mensaka'' (1998) and '' Asfalto'' (2000). Biography From ...

Tristán Ulloa Tristán Ulloa (born 6 May 1970) is a Spanish actor, writer, and director. Career He was born in Orléans and lived with his Spanish grandparents exiled in France. He spent his teenage years in Vigo, Galicia. His mother, Esther San Román, lives ...

Adrià Collado Adrià Collado (born 3 August 1972) is a Spanish actor. He appeared in more than fifty films since 1994. Selected filmography Films * 1999: ''Why Not Me? (film), Why Not Me?'' * 2000: ''The Art of Dying (film), The Art of Dying'' as Carlos * 200 ...

Laia Marull Laia Marull Quintana (born 4 January 1973) is a Spanish actress. She has won three Goya Awards — Best New Actress for ''Fugitives'' (2000), Best Actress for '' Take My Eyes'' (2003), and Best Supporting Actress for ''Black Bread'' (2010). ...

María Esteve María Esteve Flores (born 30 December 1974) is a Spanish actress. Biography Esteve was born on 30 December 1974 in Mar del Plata, Argentina. She is the eldest daughter of actress Pepa Flores and dancer Antonio Gades. Her sister is the singe ...

Lola Dueñas María Dolores Dueñas Navarro (born 6 October 1971) better known as Lola Dueñas is a Spanish actress. Born in Madrid, she is the daughter of Nicolás Dueñas and studied in the Teatro de La Abadía of Madrid. She decided to relocate to Par ...

and

Guillermo Toledo Guillermo "Willy" Toledo Monsalve (born 22 May 1970) is a Spanish actor and producer. Besides his stage career he is also noted as polemicist and for his political activism. Biography Guillermo Toledo Monsalve was born in Madrid on 22 May 19 ...

Plot

The plot focus on a group of young people belonging to different

social class A social class is a grouping of people into a set of Dominance hierarchy, hierarchical social categories, the most common being the Upper class, upper, Middle class, middle and Working class, lower classes. Membership in a social class can for ...

es. It tracks the relationships between David and Fran (who both play in an underground rock band in Madrid alongside Javi) with their girlfriends Bea and Natalia as well as the mishaps of Javi and romantic interest Cristina. Meanwhile, Laura, Javi's little sister, has formed a gang and deals drugs.

Cast

Production

The film was produced by Tornasol Films and it had the participation of TVE.

Release

Distributed by Alta Films, ''Mensaka'' was theatrically released in Spain on 30 April 1998.

Reception

Jonathan Holland of ''

Variety Variety may refer to: Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats * Variety (radio) * Variety show, in theater and television Films * ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont * ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...

'' deemed the film to be "a gritty, compassionate study of post-adolescent life in contemporary Spain", and "a good showcase for young local acting talent". Ángel Fernández-Santos of ''

El País ''El País'' (; ) is a Spanish-language daily newspaper in Spain. ''El País'' is based in the capital city of Madrid and it is owned by the Spanish media conglomerate PRISA. It is the second most circulated daily newspaper in Spain . ''El Pa ...

'' gave a positive review and highlighted the craft of Salvador García in his debut film (managing to uplift a "storyline of little substance") and the performances of Salmerón, Ulloa, Marull and Dueñas. The "unapologetic brand of female adolescent subjectivity" represented by the character of Laura (Javi's "demonic little sister"), displaying a take on the wild child archetype, has been drawn out as a highlight of "an unexpectedly striking movie" by Matthew J. Marr. José Angel Mañas commented that, out of all the transpositions of his works, ''Mensaka'' was the one he liked the most.

Accolades

, - , align = "center" rowspan = "3" , 1999 , , rowspan = "3" , 13th Goya Awards , , Best Adapted Screenplay , , Salvador García Ruiz , , , , rowspan = "3" , , - ,

Best New Director ''Best New Director'' was an award given by the New York Film Critics Circle from its first inception in 1989 until discontinuing in 1996. There was no award in 1993. 1980s 1989 *Kenneth Branagh – ''Henry V (1989 film), Henry V'' **Runners-up: St ...

, , Salvador García Ruiz , , , - , Best New Actor , , Tristán Ulloa , ,

References

Bibliography

* * {{authority control 1998 drama films Spanish drama films 1990s Spanish-language films Films set in Madrid Tornasol Films films Films based on Spanish novels 1990s Spanish films 1998 directorial debut films