Barrio
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Fernando León de Aranoa
Written by	Fernando León de Aranoa
Produced by	Elías Querejeta
Starring	Críspulo Cabezas Timy Benito Eloi Yebra Marieta Orozco Alicia Sánchez Enrique Villén Francisco Algora Chete Lera
Edited by	Nacho Ruiz Capillas
Production companies	Elías Querejeta P.C. Mact Productions Sogetel MGN Filmes
Distributed by	Warner Sogefilms
Release date	8 October 1998 (1998-10-08)
Running time	105 minutes
Country	Spain
Language	Spanish
Box office	€2.92 million

Barrio (lit. 'Neighborhood') is a 1998 Spanish film directed by Fernando León de Aranoa. It won several awards including Best Director at the 13th Goya Awards, and was also nominated for Best Picture.^[1]

Plot

In Madrid, 15-year-olds Manu, Javi and Rai spend summer around their neighborhood as their families cannot afford going on vacation. Although they have similar wishes of having sex and traveling, they each face different problems. Manu misses his deceased mother, as well as his brother Rafa, who according to his father is a successful businessman traveling abroad. Javi lives with his sister Susana, their argumentative parents and a deaf grandfather. Rai often commits shoplifting and robs cars, as well as having Susana as a romantic interest.

Unknown to his father, Manu takes a job as a delivery driver, lying to his employer about owning a motorbike, as he plans to make the deliveries by bus. Rai and Javi steal yogurt from a supermarket, whose brand offers paid vacations as a prize. One day the three steal a bouquet from a graveyard and attempt to sell the flowers at a bar. Rai tries to flirt with a girl but is confronted by her boyfriend and they are forced to leave. The next morning, Rai learns by mail that he has won the prize but is disappointed to learn that it is a jet ski, completely useless in their neighborhood, so it is simply left chained up to a streetlight on his apartment's front.

To cheer Rai up and inspired by the jet ski, Javi and Manu arrange a mock tropical-themed party. They later visit Rai's brother, a night watchman at an apartment complex, as he has promised to show them his gun. Rai's brother leaves to the entrance to have sex with his girlfriend, while Manu and Javi masturbate watching them through CCTV. However, they stop when Rai pretends to shoot himself as a joke and get angry with him for scaring them.

One day, Manu, still making deliveries by bus, is surprised when his father gets on. He hides at the back seats, but is confused when his father inexplicably gets off at a random clearing. Meanwhile, Javi arrives home and Susana, in tears, tells him that their mother has put a restraining order on their father as he physically abused her in secret. While the three meet up they are arrested by the police, as it is revealed that Rai is a drug dealer. Rai spends the night in jail and lies to his family about staying at Javi's home.

Javi visits his divorced father, now living in a van, while Manu blows the candles on his birthday cake with his father and asks for a wish. Later at night, they celebrate Manu's birthday at a disco, discover a shanty town while venturing into the metro's tunnels and rob a trophy store. Nearing home, Rai is enraged to discover that the jet ski has been stolen. However, they quickly regain their cheer, as Manu points out that the jet ski was a useless nuisance anyway. Back at home, Manu discovers a watch on his bed, wrapped up as an expensive gift from his brother. However, he discovers the same type of watch at a local sales store.

Suspicious, Manu follows the path that his father took the previous day and is shocked to discover his brother living at a slum as a heroin addict. When Manu tells his father that he knows the truth, he breaks into tears, but Manu reassures him that at least his birthday wish of meeting his brother again has been fulfilled.

Rai goes to Javi's home and attempts to meet up with Susana, but is told to wait as she gets ready. He uses the time to steal a radio from a car, but the owner, a police officer, shows up. He demands Rai to stay still while pointing a gun at him, but Rai does not comply and is shot. Javi meets up with Manu at the metro and suffers a breakdown, while a voiceover from the newscast informs that a minor has been killed.

Cast

• Críspulo Cabezas as Raimundo "Rai" Martin Llanes
• Timy Benito as Javi
• Eloi Yebra as Manu
• Marieta Orozco as Susi, Javi's sister
• Alicia Sánchez as Carmen, Javi's mother
• Enrique Villén as Ricardo, Javi's father
• Francisco Algora as Ángel, Manu's father
• Chete Lera as police inspector

Production

The film was produced by Elías Querejeta.^[2] It was shot in Madrid, primarily in San Blas and La Elipa, but also in Aluche, Hortaleza, Carabanchel and Villaverde.^[3]

Release

Distributed by Warner Sogefilms,^[4] the film was released on 2 October 1998.^[2] The film grossed 2.92 million € at the box office.^[5]

Awards and nominations

References

Citations

Bibliography

• Caparrós Lera, José María (2005). La Pantalla Popular. El cine español durante el Gobierno de la derecha (1996-2003). Tres Cantos: Ediciones Akal. ISBN 9788446024149.
• San Julián Alonso, Raúl (2019). "La resignificación de la ciudad de Madrid a través del Joven Cine Español durante los años 90". VII Congreso Internacional Ciudades Creativas VII Congreso Internacional Ciudades Creativas. 1 (1). doi:10.7195/actasvol1a2019p1341 (inactive 1 August 2023).{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: DOI inactive as of August 2023 (link)

External links

• Barrio at IMDb
• Barrio at Rotten Tomatoes
• NY Times review for Barrio