from vk & associates

“EVEN THE RAIN is a brilliant movie. At a time when the poor of the world seem to be rising up, I found myself deeply moved and completely enthralled by this film. I encourage everyone in search of a great movie to go see EVEN THE RAIN.” – Michael Moore

Synopsis:

Spanish film crew helmed by idealistic director Sebastian (Gael García Bernal) and his cynical producer Costa (Luis Tosar) come to Bolivia to make a revisionist epic about the conquest of Latin America – on the cheap. Carlos Aduviri is dynamic as “Daniel,” a local cast as a 16th century native in the film within a film. When the make-up and loin cloth come off, Daniel sails into action protesting his community’s deprivation of water at the hands of multi-national corporations

When riots break out in Cochabamba, protesting excessive fees for water, production is interrupted and the convictions of the crew members are challenged. Sebastian and Costa are forced to make an unexpected emotional journey in opposite directions.

With ample irony, EVEN THE RAIN (También la Lluvia) explores the effects of Spanish imperialism, still resonating some 500 years later in the continued struggle against oppression by indigenous people.

This fictional Fitzcarraldo-like quest to make a film against all odds, is set against the back drop of the real life “Water Wars,” fought against the privatization of Bolivia’s water supply in the year 2000 and is anchored in the philosophies of historian Howard Zinn, as well as the stories of 16th century priests, Fathers Bartolome de las Casas and Antonio Montesinos, the first radical voices of conscience against an Empire.

Directed by Iciar Bollain (Take My Eyes) and written by long-time Ken Loach collaborator Paul Laverty (The Wind That Shakes the Barley).

About the Director:

Director, Icíar Bollaín Pérez-Mínguez is a Spanish actress, director and writer.

She began her work in cinema at the age of fourteen as part of the cast in Victor Erice’s film El Sur (1983). Since then she has acted in fourteen films.

Hola, estas sola? (Hi, are you alone? in English) (1995) was her first feature film as director. Flores de otro mundo (Flowers from another world in English) (1999) was her second feature film, which she co-wrote with Julio Llamazares.

Her latest film as writer and director is Te Doy Mis Ojos (I’ll give you my eyes) (2003) which won seven Goya awards including Best Film.

Even the Rain was selected as the Spanish entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 83rd Academy Awards and made the final nine shortlist.