''Lola'' or ''What I Know About Lola'' (; ) is a 2006 Spanish-French film directed by which stars

Michaël Abiteboul Michaël Abiteboul is a French actor. Filmography Theatre References External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Abiteboul, Michael French male film actors Living people 21st-century French male actors Year of birth missing (living peop ...

and Lola Dueñas as Léon and Lola alongside

Carmen Machi María del Carmen Machi Arroyo (born 7 January 1963) is a Spanish actress. She become popular for her role as Aída in the television series ''7 vidas'' and ''Aída''. Biography María del Carmen Machi Arroyo was born on 7 January 1963 in Madr ...

and Lucienne Deschamps .

Plot

Set in

Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...

, the plot concerns Léon, an

asocial Asociality refers to the lack of motivation to engage in social interaction, or a preference for solitary activities. Asociality may be associated with avolition, but it can, moreover, be a manifestation of limited opportunities for social relati ...

man living with his mother who starts observing newcomer Lola, a vivacious Spaniard.

Cast

Production

The screenplay was penned by Javier Rebollo and Lola Mayo. A Spanish-French co-production, the film was produced by a Lazennec & Associes, Lolita Films and Malvarrosa Media with the participation of TVE and RTVV.

Release

The film premiered at the

San Sebastián International Film Festival The San Sebastián International Film Festival ( SSIFF; , ) is an annual FIAPF A category film festival held in the Spain, Spanish city of Donostia, Donostia-San Sebastián in September, in the Basque Country (autonomous community), Basque Countr ...

in September 2006. It also screened at the 50th

London Film Festival The BFI London Film Festival is an annual film festival held in London, England, in collaboration with the British Film Institute. Founded in 1957, the festival runs for two weeks every October. In 2016, the British Film Institute, BFI estim ...

in 2006, and at the 8th Seoul International Film Festival in 2007. It opened in Spanish theatres on 29 September 2006, and it did so in French theatres on 1 August 2007. Santiago Racaj was responsible for cinematography whereas took over film editing.

Reception

Javier Ocaña Javier Ocaña (born 1971) is a Spanish film critic. Life and career Ocaña was born in 1971 in Martos, province of Jaén. He earned a licentiate degree in law from the University of Granada and a master's degree in journalism from the Autonomo ...

of ''

El País (; ) is a Spanish-language daily newspaper in Spain. 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 . is the most read newspaper in ...

'' pointed out that "by means of fixed shots, ultra-orthodox framing and a scrupulous control of the point of view", Rebollo tells us, as if the film were a documentary about animals, about "human fauna". Mirito Torreiro of ''

Fotogramas ''Fotogramas'' is a 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 ...

'' rated the film 3 out of 5 stars, praising the "coherence with which it presents a story of voyeurism without moral alibis", while citing the "(necessary) weariness that runs through some moments of the plot" as the worst thing about it. 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 meticulously constructed and ambitious if somewhat ponderous take on loneliness", "making for an interesting but ultimately uninvolving experience", in which Lola Dueñas is "easily the best thing" about it.

Accolades

, - , align = "center" , 2006 , , 50th

, , colspan = "2" , FIPRESCI Jury Award , , , , align = "center" , , - , align = "center" , 2007 , , 21st 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'' **Runners-up: Steve Kloves – '' ...

, , Javier Rebollo , , , , align = "center" ,

References

External links

''Lola''
at ICAA's ''Catálogo de Cinespañol'' {{authority control 2006 films Spanish drama films French drama films Films set in Paris 2000s Spanish films 2000s French films