There are films that are born classic and others that are born old and, although it may sound similar, they are very different things. The initial intentions, however, are usually common. Basically, take advantage of what has been proven on numerous occasions to work and to like. Both are similar in that they do not seek originality but quality, but only the former achieve it. For example, when one makes a film in which two detectives with very different personalities go to a remote place to investigate a crime, he knows that he has to do things very well. Otherwise, we’ll just think about how bad his story is compared to Mississippi burns, Memories of Murder, seven, Zodiac either True Detective.
There are so many international references, so many classics, that Spanish cinema usually doesn’t even dare to look at them face to face. But he did it once, and with very little originality. With the premiere of The minimal island An original or groundbreaking film had not been born, but it was an instant classic of our cinema and of detective cinema in general.
The year was 2014 and Javier Gutiérrez was nothing more than a luxury supporting role in series like Red Eagle or sagas like Torrent. Since then, he would become a true leading figure in Spanish cinema like Antonio de la Torre or Luis Tosar. Gutiérrez played, let’s say, the bad cop. To the policeman still anchored in Francoism whose prejudices prevent him from seeing the reality of a Spain in full change. The other, the modern, young and attractive police officer, is played by Rául Arévalo, who has been the protagonist since the beginning. Shortly after Arévalo would debut as a director in Late for angeralong with Antonio de la Torre also present in The minimal islanda film with which it has many similarities.
As for the merits of this “classic”, above all is Alberto Rodríguez, the director who has shown that from Andalusia you can tell stories just as fast-paced and intense as in the best Hollywood. Director of Model 77 perfected the proposal Group 7 with this story that took us to the Guadalquivir marshes in the early 80s. Not many saw too much of the first season of True Detective in the script that Rodríguez himself and Rafael Cobos signed but, remembering what we said at the beginning, what matters here is quality.
In The minimal island Everything shone at such a level that the film was nominated for 17 Goya Awards, of which it won 10. Among them, Best Film, Best Direction, Best Leading Actor for Javier Gutiérrez (who took it from his partner, nominated in the same category ), Best New Actress for Nerea Barros, Best Screenplay and, of course, technical distinctions such as recognition for Best Costume Design, Artistic Direction, Photography, Editing or Music. And we are talking about one of the most competitive editions of the Goya Awards, one in which they were also The child, Magical Girl, Loreak or Argentina wild tales. It was also the year of a Eight Basque surnames which broke box office records to complete the golden dream of Spanish cinema that was 2014. But that is another story.
The important thing is that it has been ten years since Spanish cinema has had a world classic of detective cinema, it has been ten years since The minimal islandan essential movie that you can see on Amazon Prime Video and Netflix.
