EL BOLA -- Achero Mañas, dir

©2000
studio: Film Movement
dir: Achero Mañas
cast: Juan José Ballesta, Pablo Galán, Alberto Jiménez, Manuel Morón, Ana Wagener, Nieve de Medina, Gloria Muñoz, Javier Lago, Omar Muñoz, Soledad Osorio, Alfonso Vallejo, Manolo Caro
screenplay: Verónica Fernández and Achero Mañas
Spanish -- subtitled
Winner of 4 Goya Awards (Spain's Academy Awards) and more then 20 other film awards

A young boy, living in a violent environment, befriends a new boy at school and sees a different kind of family life.

This is Film Movement's first offering in their independant movie of the month club, and it is a powerful story of child abuse.

Everything about this film speaks volumes. The acting is wonderful, the story well done, and even the low-budget filming adds a gritty, realistic quality to the picture.

The ending seems moderately open to interpretation, but I think that is because it is symbolic rather than outright obvious. A wonderful break from Hollywood blockbusters.

This DVD includes the Academy Award winning short film, MORE, which is really a wonderful tale as well.

Watch this DVD.