''Rough Winds'' ( es, Los aires difíciles, links=no) is a 2006 Spanish

melodrama A modern melodrama is a dramatic work in which the plot, typically sensationalized and for a strong emotional appeal, takes precedence over detailed characterization. Melodramas typically concentrate on dialogue that is often bombastic or exces ...

film directed by

Gerardo Herrero Gerardo Herrero Pérez-Gamir (born 28 January 1953) is a Spanish film director, screenwriter and producer. He is a prolific promoter of international coproductions and collaborations between Spain and Hispanic American countries. From 1993 to ...

adapting the novel ''Los aires difíciles'' by

Almudena Grandes María de la Almudena Grandes Hernández (7 May 1960 – 27 November 2021) was a Spanish writer. Author of 13 novels and three short-story collections, her work has been translated into twenty languages and frequently adapted to film. She won t ...

. It features

José Luis García Pérez José Luis García Pérez (born 1972 in Sevilla, Spain) is an Andalusian actor in film, theatre, and television. He studied at the Centro Andaluz de Teatro (CAT). Perez portrayed the role of Pedro in the 2005 film ''Cachorro'', where he was nomin ...

, Cuca Escribano and Carmen Elías.

Plot

After surviving a shipwreck, Juan Olmedo seeks solace and redress together with his brother Alfonso (a mentally handicapped person) and his niece Tamara in an Andalusian village in the Atlantic coast of the

province of Cádiz Cádiz is a Provinces of Spain, province of southern Spain, in the southwestern part of the Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Andalusia. It is the southernmost part of mainland Spain, as well as the southernmost part of conti ...

, seeking to overcome the death of Charo (Juan's child love, wife of his brother Damián, and Juan's lover) in a traffic collision. He develops a bond and sexual relationship with the maid, the lively Maribel, while Panrico (Maribel's former partner) and Sara (Juan's neighbor and Maribel's friend) stay aloof.

Cast

Production

An adaptation of the novel ''Los vientos difíciles'' by

, the screenplay was penned by

Ángeles González-Sinde Ángeles González-Sinde Reig (born 7 April 1965) is a Spanish scriptwriter, film director and politician. She served as Minister of Culture of the Government of Spain from April 2009 until December 2011. Her appointment was received with anger ...

and Alberto Macías. The film is a Tornasol Films, Continental Producciones and Maestranza Films production. Shooting locations included

Zahara de los Atunes Zahara de los Atunes is a village on the Costa de la Luz of Spain in the province of Cádiz and the autonomous region of Andalusia. It is noted for its excellent beaches, an outdoor cinema, and la Iglesia Del Carmen church where, curiously, tuna ( ...

Barbate Barbate is a municipality of Spain part of the Province of Cádiz, in the autonomous community of Andalusia. It is coastal town located off the Atlantic Ocean, close to the Strait of Gibraltar. Displaying a total area of 142.17 km2, it ha ...

and

Madrid Madrid ( , ) is the capital and most populous city of Spain. The city has almost 3.4 million inhabitants and a metropolitan area population of approximately 6.7 million. It is the second-largest city in the European Union (EU), and ...

Release

The film was presented at the 9th

Málaga Film Festival The Málaga Film Festival, formerly Málaga Spanish Film Festival (FMCE), is an annual film festival held in Málaga, Spain. The festival was established to promote Spanish cinema and help disseminate information about Spanish films. Since 2017, ...

, screened as part of the festival's main competition. Distributed by Alta Classics, the film was theatrically released in Spain on 24 March 2006.

Reception

Fernando Méndez-Leite of ''

Fotogramas ''Fotogramas'' is Spanish digital and print film magazine which has been in circulation since 1946. It is one of the early film magazines in Spain. History Founded in Barcelona, it was first published on 15 November 1946 by Antonio Nadal-Rodó a ...

'' scored a 4 out 5 stars rating, underscoring ''Rough Winds'' to be a film "for fans of character-driven and sentimental films", drawing out the design and the performance by Carmen Elías as the best thing about the film. 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), ...

'' presented the film as "skillfully-handled but—given its subject—passionless drama", dragged by a "bland" performance by José Luis García Pérez, otherwise highlighting Cuca Escribano's as the standout performance.

Accolades

, - , align = "center" , 2006 , , colspan = "2" , 9th

, , Golden Biznaga for Best Film , , , , align = "center" ,

References

External links

{{authority control 2006 drama films 2006 films 2000s Spanish-language films Spanish drama films Films directed by Gerardo Herrero Films shot in the province of Cádiz Films shot in Madrid Films based on Spanish novels Films set in Andalusia Tornasol Films films Maestranza Films films 2000s Spanish films