Hard Times (2005 film)

Hard Times
Theatrical release poster
Spanish	Malas temporadas
Directed by	Manuel Martín Cuenca
Screenplay by	Manuel Martín Cuenca Alejandro Hernández
Story by	Alejandro Hernández
Produced by	Fernando Victoria de Lecea Pedro Zaratiegui
Starring	Javier Cámara Nathalie Poza Eman Xor Oña Leonor Watling
Cinematography	David Carretero
Edited by	Ángel Hernández Zoido
Music by	Pedro Barbadillo
Production companies	Iberrota Films Golem Loma Blanca
Distributed by	Golem
Release dates	22 September 2005 (2005-09-22) (Zinemaldia) 18 November 2005 (2005-11-18) (Spain)
Country	Spain
Language	Spanish

Hard Times (Spanish: Malas temporadas) is a 2005 Spanish drama film directed by Manuel Martín Cuenca from a screenplay by Martín Cuenca and Alejandro Hernández which stars Javier Cámara, Nathalie Poza, Eman Xor Oña, and Leonor Watling.

Plot

Set in Madrid, the plot concerns about connected personal stories: those of a former inmate adapting to life out of jail (Mikel), a NGO worker (Ana), and a Cuban immigrant and smuggler of cigars and artwork (Carlos).^[1][2]

Cast

• Javier Cámara as Mikel^[3]
• Nathalie Poza as Ana^[3]
• Eman Xor Oña as Carlos^[3]
• Leonor Watling as Laura^[3]
• Fernando Echebarria as Fabré^[3]
• Gonzalo Pedrosa as Gonzalo^[3]
• Pere Arquillué [ca] as Pascual^[3]
• Raquel Vega as Rita^[3]

Release

The film was presented at the 53rd San Sebastián International Film Festival in September 2005.^[4][5] It was theatrically released in Spain on 18 November 2005.^[3]

Reception

Fionnuala Halligan of ScreenDaily deemed the film to be "nicely-modulated and finely-acted", considering that, despite its "downbeat perspective", Hard Times is a "rewarding and challenging" film.^[2]

Javier Ocaña of El País considered that even if, as almost always with choral stories, some of the stories work better than others, the whole is "very well crafted", underpinning a portrait of current-day sorrows "as real as it is pessimistic".^[6]

Accolades

Year	Award	Category	Nominee(s)	Result	Ref.
2005	San Sebastián International Film Festival	Sebastiane Award		Won	[7]
2006	20th Goya Awards	Best Actress	Nathalie Poza	Nominated	[8]
	15th Actors and Actresses Union Awards	Best Film Actor in a Leading Role	Javier Cámara	Nominated	[9][10]
		Best Film Actress in a Leading Role	Nathalie Poza	Nominated

See also

• List of Spanish films of 2005

References

1. "Martín Cuenca exhibe en San Sebastián su segundo largometraje, con Javier Cámara y Leonor Watling". El Mundo. 22 September 2022.
2. Halligan, Fionnuala (22 September 2005). "Hard Times (Malas Temporadas)". ScreenDaily.
3. "Malas temporadas". elmundo.es. January 2006. Retrieved 2 October 2022.
4. Harguindey, Ángel S. (23 September 2005). "'Malas temporadas', de Martín Cuenca, y un 'thriller' intimista". El País.
5. Cerviño, M. (23 September 2005). "Martín Cuenca presenta ´Malas Temporadas´ en San Sebastián". Diario de Mallorca. Prensa Ibérica.
6. Ocaña, Javier (18 November 2005). "Enigmas y pesares cotidianos". El País.
7. "Premian cinta "Joven alocada" en San Sebastián". La Razón. 28 September 2012.
8. "Malas temporadas". premiosgoya.com. Academia de las Artes y las Ciencias Cinematográficas de España. Retrieved 2 October 2022.
9. "Belén Rueda, Imanol Arias y José Luis Gil optan a los Premios Unión de Actores". verTele!. 31 March 2006 – via eldiario.es.
10. "Manuel Alexandre y Candela Peña, premiados por la Unión de Actores en la categoría de cine". El País. 30 May 2006.