May God Save Us

May God Save Us
Theatrical release poster
SpanishQue dios nos perdone
Directed byRodrigo Sorogoyen
Written by
Produced by
Starring
CinematographyAlex de Pablo
Edited by
Music byOlivier Arson
Production
companies
  • Tornasol Films
  • Atresmedia Cine
  • Mistery Producciones AIE
  • Hernández y Fernández PC
Distributed byWarner Bros. Pictures España
Release dates
  • 18 September 2016 (2016-09-18) (SSIFF)
  • 28 October 2016 (2016-10-28) (Spain)
Running time
125 minutes
CountrySpain
LanguageSpanish

May God Save Us (Spanish: Que Dios nos perdone, lit. 'May God Forgive Us') is a 2016 Spanish crime thriller film directed by Rodrigo Sorogoyen and written by Sorogoyen and Isabel Peña. It stars Antonio de la Torre and Roberto Álamo as a couple of flawed police investigators tracking down a serial killer of elderly women in Madrid.

Plot

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In the hot summer of 2011, against the backdrop of the economic crisis and the 15-M Movement, Madrid is swarmed by a million and a half of pilgrims awaiting the visit of Pope Benedict XVI. Two police inspectors are commissioned to investigate a brutal serial killer who rapes and kills older women. The two inspectors will have to solve the case in a short time and without too much clamor. The ending is unexpected and after three years from the facts told.

Cast

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Production

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The screenplay of May God Save Us was penned by Isabel Peña and Rodrigo Sorogoyen.[5] The film was produced by Tornasol Films, Atresmedia Cine, Mistery Producciones AIE and Hernández y Fernández PC, with the participation of Atresmedia, Movistar+ and Telemadrid.[6] Outdoor scenes in Malasaña involved shooting in the Maestro Guerrero and Desengaño streets.[7] In addition to Madrid, footage was also shot in Tenerife, taking advantage of the Canarian archipelago's tax incentives.[8] The film was edited by Alberto del Campo and Fernando Franco.[9]

Release

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The film had its world premiere in September 2016 at the 64th San Sebastián International Film Festival, screened in the festival's main competition.[10] Distributed by Warner Bros,[6] the film was theatrically released in Spain on 28 October 2016.[11]

Reception

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According to the review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes, May God Save Us has a 100% approval rating based on 6 reviews from critics, with an average rating of 7.7/10.[12]

Jonathan Holland of The Hollywood Reporter wrote that Sorogoyen "mixes up police procedural, social crit, character study, black humor and Catholicism into a taut and distinctive whole", summing up as a bottom line: "sweaty and suspenseful".[9]

Carlos Marañón of Cinemanía rated the film 4 out of 5 stars, deeming it to be a benchmark noir for Madrid's Augusts, supported by a dedicated and well-understood costumbrismo, and channeling Spain's recent past.[13]

Quim Casas of El Periódico de Catalunya also gave it 4 out of 5 stars, considering the Sorogoyen shoots well the oppression of the moment and the atmosphere, with the film, up until certain point, "confronting and unscrewing the two protagonists, both of whom are plunged into their own hells".[14]

Javier Ocaña of El País wrote that the film features a "a superb work of art direction and mise-en-scène with a vehement and very attractive camera", offering a socially disheartening portrait of Madrid, assessing that the film may only raise doubts in regard of the "excessive psychological explanations".[5] He also wrote about the cast's "fabulous" performances, from Álamo and De la Torre to those actors barely declaiming a few lines.[5]

Accolades

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Year Award Category Nominee(s) Result Ref.
2017 22nd Forqué Awards Best Film Nominated [15]
Best Actor Roberto Álamo Won
4th Feroz Awards Best Drama Film Nominated [16]
Best Director Rodrigo Sorogoyen Nominated
Best Screenplay Isabel Peña, Rodrigo Sorogoyen Nominated
Best Actor (film) Roberto Álamo Won
Best Supporting Actor (film) Javier Pereira Nominated
Best Original Score Nominated
Best Trailer Nominated
31st Goya Awards Best Film Nominated [17][18]
Best Director Rodrigo Sorogoyen Nominated
Best Actor Roberto Álamo Won
Best Supporting Actor Javier Pereira Nominated
Best Original Screenplay Nominated
Best Editing Nominated
26th Actors and Actresses Union Awards Best Film Actor in a Secondary Role Javier Pereira Nominated [19][20]
4th Platino Awards Best Editing Nominated [21][22]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Clip de 'Que Dios Nos Perdone': "Tenemos que sacar pecho y resistir lo que nos echen"". Atresmedia Cine. 25 October 2016.
  2. ^ a b "Clip de 'Que Dios Nos Perdone': Así es la relación de Javier Alfaro (Roberto Álamo) con su familia". Cine Atresmedia. 25 October 2016.
  3. ^ "Clip de 'Que Dios Nos Perdone': Así es la relación de Javier Alfaro (Roberto Álamo) con su familia". 25 October 2016.
  4. ^ a b c Couston, Jérémie (5 May 2021). "Que Dios nos perdone Film de Rodrigo Sorogoyen (Espagne, 2016)". Télérama.
  5. ^ a b c Ocaña, Javier (28 October 2016). "Un Madrid apocalíptico". El País.
  6. ^ a b "'Que Dios nos perdone' – estreno en cines 28 de octubre". Audiovisual451. 27 October 2016.
  7. ^ Cruz, Luis de la (4 February 2017). "Las películas rodadas en Malasaña: de 'Pepi, Luci y Bom' a 'Que dios nos perdone'". Somos Mañasaña – via eldiario.es.
  8. ^ "Gamero: "El guion de 'Que Dios nos perdone' era uno de los mejores guiones que habíamos recibido en mucho tiempo»". Audiovisual451. 14 September 2016.
  9. ^ a b Holland, Jonathan (20 September 2016). "'May God Save Us' ('Que Dios Nos Perdone'): Film Review | San Sebastian 2016". The Hollywood Reporter.
  10. ^ Rivera, Alfonso (18 September 2016). "Que Dios nos perdone: a la caza del monstruo". Cineuropa.
  11. ^ Zorrilla, Mikel (30 October 2016). ""Aquí hay más exigencia, no podemos fallar". Rodrigo Sorogoyen, director de 'Que Dios nos perdone'". Espinof.
  12. ^ "May God Save Us". RottenTomatoes. Retrieved 5 November 2023.
  13. ^ Marañón, Carlos (24 October 2016). "Que Dios nos perdone". Cinemanía – via 20minutos.es.
  14. ^ Casas, Quim (27 October 2016). "'Que Dios nos perdone': la jungla de asfalto". El Periódico de Catalunya.
  15. ^ Zurro, Javier (14 January 2017). "'Tarde para la ira' triunfa en los Forqué y coge fuerza para los Goya". El Español.
  16. ^ García Copado, Tamara (23 January 2017). "Lista de los ganadores de los Premios Feroz 2017". Bekia.
  17. ^ Santos, Elena (14 December 2016). "Nominaciones Premios Goya 2017: 'Un monstruo viene a verme' lidera con 12 candidaturas". HuffPost.
  18. ^ Jábato, Luisa N. (4 February 2017). "Lista completa de los ganadores de los Premios Goya 2017". ecartelera.
  19. ^ "Javier Pereira, entre los nominados a los Premios Unión de Actores". La Vanguardia. 13 February 2017.
  20. ^ Vidales, Raquel (14 March 2017). "'Tarde para la ira' triunfa en los premios de la Unión de Actores y Actrices". El País.
  21. ^ Corral, Pedro del (1 June 2017). "'Un monstruo viene a verme', favorita de los Premios Platino 2017". El Mundo.
  22. ^ "Estos son los ganadores de los Premios Platino 2017". cnn.com. 23 July 2017.
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