A House on Fire

A House on Fire
Theatrical release poster
CatalanCasa en flames
Directed byDani de la Orden
Written byEduard Sola
Starring
CinematographyPepe Gay de Liébana
Edited byAlberto Gutiérrez
Music byMaria Chiara Casà
Production
companies
Distributed byVerCine
Release dates
  • 18 April 2024 (2024-04-18) (BCN Film Fest)
  • 28 June 2024 (2024-06-28) (Spain)
Countries
  • Spain
  • Italy
Languages
  • Catalan
  • Spanish
Box office2.7 million

A House on Fire (Catalan: Casa en flames) is a 2024 Spanish-Italian comedy-drama film directed by Dani de la Orden and written by Eduard Sola which stars Emma Vilarasau, Enric Auquer, Maria Rodríguez Soto, Alberto San Juan, Clara Segura, José Pérez-Ocaña, and Macarena García.

It is the highest-grossing Catalan-language film of all time.[1]

Plot

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Divorced well-off woman Montse summons her family to her Costa Brava house in Cadaqués, but despite the now limited connection to her two children, the potential sale of the building, her ex-husband's entry on the scene, and yet-to-be-settled scores, she is determined not to let anything or anybody spoil her weekend.[2][3][4]

Cast

[edit]

Production

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The film was produced by Sábado Películas and Playtime Movies in co-production with 3Cat, Atresmedia Cine, and ElioFilm, with the participation of Netflix and Atresmedia and backing from ICAA and ICEC.[8] Shooting locations included a building designed by Josep Antoni Coderch in Canet de Mar.[6] It features Catalan- and Spanish-language dialogue.[3]

Release

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The film had its world premiere as the opening film of the 8th BCN Film Fest on 18 April 2024.[9] Distributed by VerCine,[10] it was released theatrically in Spain on 28 June 2024.[4][11] It opened in 162 screens.[11] By July 2024, it had commanded over 150,000 admissions, displaying a strong regional box-office performance in Catalonia.[11]

Reception

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On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 83% of 6 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 6.5/10.[12]

Jonathan Holland of ScreenDaily described the film as "a sugar-coated skewering of the hypocrisies of the Catalan bourgeoisie".[7]

Beatriz Martínez of Fotogramas rated the film 4 out of 5 stars, deeming it to be Dani de la Orden's best, while highlighting "a perfectly staged cast" as the best thing about it.[13]

Javier Ocaña of El País rated the film 3 out of 5 stars, describing it as an "elegant family shock therapy" which goes from better to worse in the verdict, otherwise comparing it unfavourably to the similar La casa.[14]

Ekaitz Ortega of HobbyConsolas gave the film 81 points ('very good') writing that A House on Fire "is a good film with a very theatrical script, full of actors and actresses who know how to take the roles to their own territory".[15]

Elsa Fernández-Santos of El País described the film as "a fierce parody, as dark as it is funny" about a Catalan bourgeois mother.[16]

Accolades

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Year Award Category Nominee(s) Result Ref.
2024
30th Forqué Awards Best Actress in a Film Emma Vilarasau Pending [17]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "'Casa en flames' se convierte en la película en catalán más taquillera de la historia". El Periódico de Catalunya. Prensa Ibérica. 26 September 2024.
  2. ^ Guerra, Andrés (19 April 2024). "'Casa en flames', una tragicomedia de la clase alta, estrena la alfombra roja del BCN Film Fest". La Vanguardia.
  3. ^ a b c "De la Orden aborda "dinámicas familiares oscuras" en 'Casa en flames' para abrir el BCN Film Fest". Europa Press. 18 April 2024.
  4. ^ a b Velasco, Marina (30 January 2024). "'Casa en Flames': fecha de estreno, reparto y cuál es su trama. Todo sobre la nueva película familiar de Dani de la orden tras 'El test'". El Confidencial.
  5. ^ Borrull, Mariona (19 April 2024). "Dani de la Orden y su 'Casa en flames' inauguran el BCN Film Fest 2024: "¡Sí, vale, veraneo en Begur!"". Fotogramas.
  6. ^ a b c Giraldo, Alba (16 November 2023). "Dani de la Orden vuelve a rodar en catalán y se instala en el Maresme para su última comedia familiar". El Periódico de Catalunya.
  7. ^ a b c d Holland, Jonathan (22 April 2024). "'A House On Fire': Review". ScreenDaily.
  8. ^ Rivera, Alfonso (23 November 2023). "Dani de la Orden levanta Una casa en llamas". Cineuropa.
  9. ^ "'Casa en flames', de Dani de la Orden, inaugura la octava edición del BCN Film Festival". ABC. 18 April 2024.
  10. ^ "Una casa en flames". Academia de las Artes y las Ciencias Cinematográficas de España. 6 November 2023.
  11. ^ a b c "'Casa en flames' supera el millón de euros y es la película en catalán más vista en cines desde 'Alcarràs'". Cine con Ñ. 26 July 2024.
  12. ^ "A House on Fire". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved 8 November 2024.
  13. ^ Martínez, Beatriz (28 June 2024). "Crítica de 'Casa en llamas', Dani de la Orden filma su mejor película, una comedia agria reflejo de nuestro tiempo". Fotogramas.
  14. ^ Ocaña, Javier (26 June 2024). "Crítica de 'Casa en llamas': las rojas praderas de la infidelidad familiar". Cinemanía – via 20minutos.es.
  15. ^ Ortega, Ekaitz. "Crítica de Casa en llamas, notable película que ahonda en la incomprensión familiar". HobbyConsolas.
  16. ^ Fernández-Santos, Elsa (28 June 2024). "'Casa en llamas': oscura y divertida parodia de una familia de la burguesía catalana". El País.
  17. ^ "Premios Forqué 2024: 'La infiltrada', 'La estrella azul' y 'Querer' lideran las nominaciones de la 30 edición". Cinemanía. 7 November 2024 – via 20minutos.es.