Sex and Lucia

I seem to be coming across Spanish writer and director Julio Medem quite a bit lately, it started with The Red Squirrel (1993) and then Room in Rome (2010) and now Sex and Lucia (2001) probably his best known film and his first big international success. A film that interweaves between past and present, people in real life and characters created in a novel by one of the films main characters. Written by Medem and described as having a plot that “dissolves into a very lyrical eroticism with repeated references to both the ocean and beach” it’s a love story between Lucia (Paz Vega who won a Goya Award for Best Female Newcomer) and her boyfriend Lorenzo, a writer played by Tristan Ulloa. To be honest the films not always easy to follow although always attractive viewing including strangely bleached out beech scenes! Far too long and requires repeated viewing but I’m not sure if this will really help!

Room in Rome

Alba and Natasha.

Two beautiful young strangers meet in the romantic city of Rome. They proceed to Alba’s hotel room for what began as a harmless sexual adventure to put the finishing touch to their last night in the city. However the two immediately connect and over the next twelve hours fall in love with one another. The next morning we observe Alba return to her partner in Spain and Natasha return to Russia to marry her fiancée or do we?

Directed by Julio Medem, Spanish writer and director who was responsible for The Red Squirrel (1993), Room in Rome (2010) is his first English language film. The film stars Spanish actress Elena Anaya (Talk to Her 2002, Van Heising 2004, Mesrine 2008 Hierro 2009) as Alba and was released straight to DVD by Optimum because the company had problems categorising and marketing this very arty movie. Bathed in a constant brown sepia type hue, nearly all of the film is spent in the hotel room with our two protagonists naked most of the time. As attractive as this sounds it really is a case of style over substance, the whole thing is a touch portentous and if it’s an erotic thrill your looking for this film does not fit the bill.

The Red Squirrel

If identity is based on memory, what if that memory’s a lie?

Based on a short story written by Julio Medem, which he described as a magical mystery tour through humour, romance, deception and lies! The Red Squirrel (1991), also directed by Medem, opens on the seafront of San Sebastian with Jota (Nancho Novo), a failed musician whose girlfriend has just left him, plucking up the courage to kill himself when a young women (Emma Suarez) on a motor bike crashes through railings and falls to the beach below. When Jota reaches her he discovers she has amnesia. Taking advantage of the situation he invents an entire identity for her creating a female that would love, honour and obey him.

Emma Suarez

Medem’s movie deliberately sets out to deceive the viewer, erotic, harrowing and disturbing in equal measures. Great score from Alberto Iglesias, Pedro Almodovar’s award winning musical composer.