''Spider'' ( es, Araña) is a 2019 Chilean
political thriller film
A political thriller is a thriller that is set against the backdrop of a political power struggle, high stakes and suspense is the core of the story. The genre often forces the audiences to consider and understand the importance of politics. The ...
directed by
Andrés Wood
Andrés Wood Montt (born 14 September 1965) is a Chilean film director, producer and writer. Some of his most popular films include ''Machuca'', '' Violeta se fue a los cielos'', and ''Historias de Futbol''. He created his own production company ...
. It was screened in the Contemporary World Cinema section at the
2019 Toronto International Film Festival
The 44th annual Toronto International Film Festival was held from 5 to 15 September 2019. The opening gala was the documentary film '' Once Were Brothers: Robbie Robertson and The Band'', directed by Daniel Roher, and the festival closed with a ...
. It was selected as the Chilean entry for the
Best International Feature Film at the
92nd Academy Awards
The 92nd Academy Awards ceremony, presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), honored films released in 2019 and took place on February 9, 2020, at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, Los Angeles, beginning at 5:00 ...
, but it was not nominated.
Plot
Inés (22), along with her husband Justo (28) and their best friend Gerardo (23), are members of
Fatherland and Liberty
The Fatherland and Liberty Nationalist Front ( es, Frente Nacionalista Patria y Libertad or simply , PyL) was a fascistAcademic literature describing FNPL as a fascist movement:
* "Pablo Rodriguez, a lawyer and gremialista, formed the Movimiento ...
, a violent paramilitary group with nationalist and neo-fascist ideological orientation that committed multiple terrorist acts with the purpose of overthrowing the left-wing government of the
Popular Unity in the early 1970s. The title of the film refers to the emblem used by this group, which is commonly known as "The Spider" or "The Black Spider" in reference to the similarity between the logo and those arachnids.
In the midst of this struggle, they become embroiled in a risky and passionate love triangle. Together, they commit a political crime that changes the history of the country and, in the process, involves them in a great betrayal that separates them forever.
Forty years later, Gerardo reappears. He is not only driven by revenge, but also by his youthful obsession to revive the nationalist cause. The police catch him with a war arsenal in his house, and Inés, now a powerful and influential businesswoman, will do everything in her power to prevent Gerardo from revealing her past or that of her husband.
Cast
*
María Valverde
María Valverde Rodríguez (born 24 March 1987) is a Spanish actress.
Career
At age 16, Valverde had a major role in ''The Weakness of the Bolshevik'', for which she won Best New Actress at the 18th Goya Awards. Her other films include '' Me ...
as Young Inés
*
Mercedes Morán
Mercedes Beatriz Morán is an Argentine actress, known for her role in the television miniseries ''Culpables''.
Career
Morán has worked in several TV programs, such as ''Donde pueda quererte'', ''Rosa de lejos'', ''Por siempre amigos'', ''Ga ...
as Inés
*
Marcelo Alonso
Marcelo Alejandro Alonso Claro (born 19 March 1969) is a Chilean actor and theater director.
Alonso has a degree in Acting from the Theater Department of the Faculty of Arts of the University of Chile. In 1994, he debuted in the ''Champaña'' t ...
as Gerardo
*
Pedro Fontaine as young Gerardo
*
Felipe Armas as Justo
*
Gabriel Urzúa as young Justo
*
María Gracia Omegna
María Gracia Andrea Omegna Vergara (born November 10, 1984) is a Chilean actress. She is known for the productions Dama y obrero (Chilean TV series), Dama y obrero and Papá a la deriva, as well as the film Joven y alocada.
Career
She stud ...
as Nadia
*
Mario Horton
is a character created by Japanese video game designer Shigeru Miyamoto. He is the title character of the ''Mario'' franchise and the mascot of Japanese video game company Nintendo. Mario has appeared in over 200 video games since his creat ...
as José
*
Benjamin Westfall as Doctor Sepulveda
*
Jaime Vadell
Jaime Patricio Vadell Amión (born 6 October 1935) is a Chilean film, theatre and television actor. He is one of the most recognisable faces in Chilean telenovelas and cinema, having played key roles in films directed by Raúl Ruiz, Silvio Caio ...
as Don Ricardo
*
Caio Blat
Caio Blat de Oliveira (born 2 June 1980) is a Brazilian actor.
Biography
Blat was born in São Paulo, Brazil. He studied law at the University of São Paulo, the largest and one of the most prestigious universities in Brazil, but dropped out be ...
as Antonio
*
Martín Salcedo as José's brother
See also
*
*
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Spider
2019 films
2019 thriller films
Chilean thriller films
2010s Spanish-language films
Films about the Chilean military dictatorship
Films directed by Andrés Wood
2010s Chilean films