Giant (2017 film)
| Giant | |
|---|---|
 Spanish release poster | |
| Directed by | Aitor Arregi Jon Garaño |
| Written by | Andoni De Carlos José Mari Goenaga Aitor Arregi Jon Garaño |
| Produced by | Xabier Berzosa Iñaki Gómez Iñigo Obeso |
| Starring | Joseba Usabiaga Eneko Sagardoy Iñigo Aranburu Ramón Agirre Aia Kruse |
| Cinematography | Javier Agirre Erauso |
| Edited by | Laurent Dufreche Raúl López |
| Music by | Pascal Gaigne |
Release dates |
|
Running time | 114 minutes |
| Country | Spain |
| Languages | Basque (some dialogue in Spanish, French, English, Arabic and Portuguese) |
| Box office | $912,912[1][2] |
Giant (Original title: Handia) is a 2017 Basque language drama film directed by Aitor Arregi and Jon Garaño.[3] The film is based on the life of Miguel Joaquín Eleizegui Arteaga (1818-1861) who suffered from gigantism and was known as the "Giant from Altzo". The film premiered at the 2017 San Sebastián International Film Festival, where it was awarded the Special Jury Prize.[4] The film was also screened at the 2017 BFI London Film Festival.[5]
At the 32nd Goya Awards, the film won ten awards, including Best Original Screenplay, Best New Actor (Eneko Sagardoy), and Best Original Score (Pascal Gaigne).[6]
Plot
An unwilling conscript in the First Carlist War, Martín returns to his family's farmhouse to find that his younger brother Joaquín has become a giant. Martín sees the commercial opportunity in marketing the "tallest man on Earth" as a freak attraction, and they travel around Europe with the increasingly distressed Joaquín serving as a circus act. Joaquín measures himself each night and is horrified that he continues to grow, well into adulthood, suspecting that the condition is terminal.
For a time Martín believes he is at home with sophisticated medical doctors interested in understanding his brother's condition, yet his background, clothes, and Basque accent betray him, and they laugh at him as a mere farmhand or peasant. Embittered, he travels abroad.
In one scene, the brothers visit Stonehenge, England, where in a surreal, early morning ritual, Joaquín is introduced to a potential female love interest, who is also a giant.[7] She seems interested, but Joaquín is too self-conscious and possessing a self awareness Martin lacks, in the end repulsed by someone of a similar condition.
Critical appraisal
The film won several Goya awards in Spain and has been described as the most technically accomplished to date Basque-language movie. English language critics have been equally enthusiastic, praising especially its visual brilliance while noting that the plot loses momentum towards the end.[7]
Giant has a rating of 71% on Rotten Tomatoes indicating mostly favourable reviews.[8]
Cast
- Joseba Usabiaga as Martín
- Eneko Sagardoy as Joaquín
- Iñigo Aranburu as Arzadun
- Ramon Agirre as Antonio
- Aia Kruse as María
Awards
| Awards | Date of ceremony | Category | Nominees | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 65th San Sebastián International Film Festival | September 30, 2017 | Golden Shell for Best Film | Nominated | [4] | |
| Special Jury Prize | Won | ||||
| V Premios Feroz | January 22, 2018 | Best Drama Film | Nominated | [9][10] | |
| Best Director | Aitor Arregi Jon Garaño |
Nominated | |||
| Best Original Soundtrack | Pascal Gaigne | Won | |||
| Best Film Poster | Iñaki Villuendas | Won | |||
| 32nd Goya Awards | February 3, 2018 | Best Film | Nominated | ||
| Best Director | Aitor Arregi Jon Garaño |
Nominated | |||
| Best New Actor | Eneko Sagardoy | Won | [11][12] | ||
| Best Original Screenplay | Jon Garaño José María Goenaga Aitor Arregi |
Won | |||
| Best Production Supervision | Ander Sistiaga | Won | [13][14] | ||
| Best Editing | Laurent Dufreche Raúl López |
Won | |||
| Best Original Score | Pascal Gaigne | Won | |||
| Best Cinematography | Javier Aguirre Erauso | Won | |||
| Best Art Direction | Mikel Serrano | Won | |||
| Best Costume Design | Saioa Lara | Won | |||
| Best Makeup and Hairstyles | Ainhoa Eskisabel Olga Cruz Gorka Aguirre |
Won | |||
| Best Sound | Iñaki Díez Xanti Salvador |
Nominated | |||
| Best Special Effects | Jon Serrano David Heras |
Won | |||
References
- ^ "Handia (Giant)". The Numbers. Retrieved 15 August 2018.
- ^ "Handia (Giant)". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 15 August 2018.
- ^ Belinchón, Gregorio (25 September 2017). "El ying y el yang del gigante vasco". El País (in Spanish). Retrieved 13 December 2017.
{{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|work=(help) - ^ a b "Official Awards - FIAPF". San Sebastián International Film Festival. Retrieved 14 December 2017.
- ^ "Giant". BFI London Film Festival. Retrieved 14 December 2017.
- ^ Blanes, Pepa (February 3, 2018). "Premios Goya 2018 'La librería', de Isabel Coixet, triunfa en los Goya de las mujeres". RTVE (in Spanish). Retrieved February 3, 2018.
- ^ a b Holland, Jonathan. "'Giant' ('Handia'): Film Review". Hollywoodreporter.com, 2018. Retrieved 13 May 2018
- ^ "Handia". "Rotten Tomatoes". Retrieved 13 May 2018
- ^ "Lista completa de los nominados a los Premios Feroz 2018". ECartelera (in Spanish). 6 December 2017. Retrieved 5 December 2017.
- ^ "La lista completa de ganadores de los premios Feroz 2018". El Huffington Post (in Spanish). 23 January 2018. Retrieved 23 January 2018.
- ^ "Eneko Sagardoy, mejor actor revelación por 'Handia'". Radiotelevisión Española (in Spanish). February 3, 2018. Retrieved February 6, 2018.
- ^ EFE (February 4, 2018). "Eneko Sagardoy, Goya al mejor actor revelación por "Handia"". EL Diario (in Spanish). Retrieved February 6, 2018.
- ^ "Ander Sistiaga, Mejor Dirección de Producción por 'Handía". Radiotelevisión Española (in Spanish). February 3, 2018. Retrieved February 6, 2018.
- ^ "Ander Sistiaga, Mejor Dirección de Producción por 'Handia'". Europa Press (in Spanish). Madrid. February 3, 2018. Retrieved February 6, 2018.
External links
 | This article related to a Spanish film of the 2010s is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
 | This 2010s drama film–related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |