La spagnola (2001) ( La spagnola ) ( The Spanish Woman )

La spagnola (2001) (DVD) (*)

~~$22.99~~ $16.97

Original Title: La spagnola
Alternate Title: The Spanish Woman
Screened, competed or awarded at:
Australian Film Institute
Film Critics Circle of Australia Awards
Other Film Festival Awards

Language Selections:
Dutch ( Subtitles )
English ( Dolby Digital 2.0 )
English ( Dolby Digital 5.1 )
French ( Subtitles )

Product Origin/Format:
Netherlands ( PAL/Region 2 )

Running Time:
87 min

Aspect Ratio:
Widescreen (1.78:1)

Special Features:
Anamorphic Widescreen
Interactive Menu
Scene Access
Trailer(s)

Movie filmed in 2001 and produced in:
Australia ( Australia, New Zealand )

Directed By:
Steve Jacobs

Written By:
Anna Maria Monticelli

Actors:
Lola Marceli ..... Lola
Alice Ansara ..... Lucia
Lourdes Bartolomé ..... Manola
Silvio Ofria ..... Bruno
Simon Palomares ..... Ricardo
Helen Thomson ..... Wendy
Gabriella Maselli ..... Maria
Alex Dimitriades ..... Stefano
Armida Croccola ..... Maria's Mother
Steve Rodgers ..... Teacher
Tony Barry ..... Doctor
Bogdan Koca ..... Polish Patient
Nino La Giudice ..... Renato
John Barresi ..... Antonio
Nico Gazzana ..... Italian patient
Antonietta Morgillo ..... Ada
Monica Croccolo de Gaillande ..... Italian woman
Raffaele Matarese ..... Club resident
Bill Young ..... Butcher
Kim Knuckey ..... The Boss
Pedro Alcaine ..... Church photographer
Kristy Boylan ..... Chemist assistant

Synopsis:

A coming-of-age tale set in the 1960s, La Spagnola is the first feature from Australian actor Steve Jacobs. Using a mixture of Spanish and Italian, the film chronicles a group of immigrants from the Mediterranean who have arrived in Australia to settle in communities out of the way of mainstream society. Lucia (Alice Ansala) lives with her mother Lola (Lola Marceli) next to an oil refinery after her father Ricardo (Simon Palomare) has abandoned them for the blonde, Australian Wendy (Helen Thomson). Lucia resents her mother for her father's absence, and they are left nearly broke after he neglects to give them money. Lola finds herself pregnant by Ricardo later and decides to self-induce an abortion with a knitting needle. Lucia begins to earn money as a doctor's interpreter, even though he is unaware of the differences in languages that exist. In an unforeseen event, Ricardo is killed in an accident. He bequeaths everything to his new girlfriend, leaving Lucia and Lola to fend for themselves in their offbeat, unpredictable society. The film was written by sometime actress Anna-Maria Monticelli.

In a dusty backwater of Australia in the 1960s, Lola, a Spanish woman, stands out as exotic and foreign. But her husband, Ricardo, has had enough of her tempestuous ways. He heads for calmer waters with his all-Australian mistress, Wendy, and the family savings. Lola and her adolescent daughter, Lucia are left with a goat, a flock of pigeons and one very empty refrigerator. The feisty Lola struggles on, but boy, is she angry - and plenty of that temper lands on Lucia, who like any good daughter adores her father and misses him terribly. When Lola's eccentric sister arrives, Lucia has a taste of what family life could be, but it's all too brief. Lola's passionate lust for revenge, fuelled in part by Ricardo's purchase of a shiny new automobile (not to mention blonde Wendy cruising by at the wheel), is driving a wedge between mother and daughter. Lola's procession of lovers widens the rift, especially when the oh-so-sexy Stefano seems just as interested in Lucia as her mother.

Lucia and her parents have moved to Australia but her father leaves the family home for Wendy. To make matters worse Lucia's father provides his family with little financial support, in spite of the fact the he can afford to buy his mistress a new car.

This product was added to our catalog on Wednesday 14 October, 2009.

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