''They Are All Dead'' ( es, Todos están muertos, links=no) is a 2014 drama film with supernatural elements directed and written by Beatriz Sanchís which stars

Elena Anaya Elena Anaya Gutiérrez (born 17 July 1975) is a Spanish actress. She garnered public recognition in Spain for her performance in ''Sex and Lucia'' (2001), which also earned her a nomination to the Goya Award for Best Supporting Actress. She sta ...

. It is an international co-production among companies from Spain, Germany and Mexico.

Plot

Set in the 1990s, it refers back to the 1980s, when Lupe, the lead character, was a rock star. In present time, Lupe suffers from

agoraphobia Agoraphobia is a mental and behavioral disorder, specifically an anxiety disorder characterized by symptoms of anxiety in situations where the person perceives their environment to be unsafe with no easy way to escape. These situations can in ...

. She lives secluded, only in contact with her son Pancho (a boy scout who hates her) and her Mexican mother Paquita. The ghost of her brother Diego breaks into her life.

Cast

Production

The film is a production by Avalon PC, Integral Film and Animal de Luz, with funding from Ibermedia and

Eurimages Eurimages is a cultural support fund of the Council of Europe, established in 1989. Eurimages promotes independent filmmaking by providing financial support to feature-length fiction, animation, and documentary films. In doing so, it encourages ...

. Shooting began on 11 February 2013. Shooting locations included

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 on 27 March 2014 at the 17th

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, i ...

. Distributed by Avalon, the film was theatrically released in Spain on 30 May 2014.

Reception

Mirito Torreiro 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 ...

'' gave the film 3 out of 5 stars, considering Elena Anaya (in a role tailor-made for her) to be the best about the film whereas he assessed that the writing needed more work. Jordi Costa 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 ...

'' wrote that "it is not a perfect film, but it is a risky debut feature with a strong identity". Manuel Piñón of ''

Cinemanía ''Cinemanía'' is a Spanish language monthly film magazine based in Madrid, Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg , national_motto = '' Plus ultra'' (Latin) ...

'' rated the film with 2½ out of 5 stars, considering that despite being an "original and bold" film, it is dragged by a forced homage to '

La movida LA most frequently refers to Los Angeles, the second largest city in the United States. La, LA, or L.A. may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Music * La (musical note), or A, the sixth note * "L.A.", a song by Elliott Smith on ''Figure ...

', assessing that the film may have turned to be a "happy anomaly" if it employed less nostalgia and respect to the past. Reviewing for ''

Excélsior ''Excélsior'' is a daily newspaper in Mexico City. It is the second oldest paper in the city after '' El Universal'', printing its first issue on March 18, 1917. History ''Excélsior'' was founded by Rafael Alducin and first published in Mexic ...

'', Lucero Solórzano deemed the film to be a "a good debut by Beatriz Sanchís" and that, writing shortcomings notwithstanding, it works and is watchable. Reviewing for ''

The Hollywood Reporter ''The Hollywood Reporter'' (''THR'') is an American digital and print magazine which focuses on the Cinema of the United States, Hollywood film industry, film, television, and entertainment industries. It was founded in 1930 as a daily trade pap ...

'', Jonathan Holland considered the film to be "a challengingly offbeat but persuasively imagined “what if” bid to talk about well-worn family themes in an adventurous new way".

Accolades

, - , align = "center" rowspan = "4" , 2014 , , rowspan = "4" , 17th

, , Silver Biznaga for Best Actress , , Elena Anaya , , , , rowspan = "4" , , - , colspan = "2" , Jury's Special Award , , , - , colspan = "2" , Young Jury's Special Award , , , - , Best Original Soundtrack , , Akrobats , , , - , align = "center" rowspan = "5" , 2015 , , 20th Forqué Awards , , Best Actress , , Elena Anaya , , , , , - , 2nd Feroz Awards , ,

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 ...

, , Elena Anaya , , , , , - , rowspan = "2" , 29th Goya Awards , ,

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 ...

, , Beatriz Sanchís , , , , rowspan = "2" , , - ,

, , Elena Anaya , , , - , 24th

Actors and Actresses Union Awards The Actors and Actresses Union Awards ( es, Premios de la Unión de Actores y Actrices, links=no) is an annual award ceremony organised by the Spanish Actors and Actresses Union, recognising the best performances in Spanish cinema, television ...

, , Best Film Actress in a Leading Role , , Elena Anaya , , , ,

References

{{authority control 2014 films Agoraphobia in fiction Spanish drama films Mexican drama films German drama films 2010s Spanish-language films Films set in the 1990s Films shot in Madrid Avalon films 2010s German films 2010s Mexican films 2010s Spanish films