Scent of a Crime

Scent of a Crime
Theatrical release poster
SpanishEl aire de un crimen
Directed byAntonio Isasi-Isasmendi
Screenplay by
  • Gabriel Castro
  • Antonio Isasi Isasmendi
  • Jorge R. Álamo
Based onEl aire de un crimen
by Juan Benet
Starring
CinematographyJuan Gelpí
Edited byAmat Carreras
Music by
  • Francisco Aguarod
  • Luis Fatás
Production
company
Isasi PC
Distributed byTripictures
Release dates
  • September 1988 (1988-09) (SSIFF)
  • 28 October 1988 (1988-10-28) (Spain)
LanguageSpanish

Scent of a Crime (Spanish: El aire de un crimen) is a 1988 Spanish rural crime drama film directed by Antonio Isasi-Isasmendi consisting of an adaptation of the novel El aire de un crimen by Juan Benet. The cast features Paco Rabal, Maribel Verdú, Chema Mazo, Fernando Rey and Germán Cobos, among others.

Plot

Set in 1950s Spain,[1] the plot tracks the developments after a corpse belonging to a stranger is found in the village of Bocentellas, located in the territory of 'Región'. Upon the arrival of the magistrate, the corpse has been replaced by a different one.[2]

Cast

Production

The film is an Isasi PC production.[5] Shooting locations included Calatayud (province of Zaragoza) and the neighbouring La Tranquera reservoir [es].[6]

Release

The film was presented at the 36th San Sebastián International Film Festival's official selection in September 1988.[7] Distributed by Tripictures, the film was theatrically released in Spain on 28 October 1988.[8]

Reception

Octavi Martí of El País considered that the overly "flat" cinematography "does not always do justice to the locations and characters", adding up to other flaws that underpin a somewhat "dusty scent" relatable not just to a film set in the 1950s, but to a film shot then too.[9]

Accolades

Year Award Category Nominee(s) Result Ref.
1988 36th San Sebastián International Film Festival Silver Shell for Best Actor Fernando Rey Won [10]
1989 3rd Goya Awards Best Adapted Screenplay Gabriel Castro, Antonio Isasi Isasmendi, Jorge R. Álamo Nominated [11]

See also

References

  1. ^ "'El aire de un crimen', tercera cita con Antoni Isasi". Diario de Ibiza. 22 November 2012.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Cine y literatura española. Guía de largometrajes (PDF). Comunidad de Madrid. Consejería de Cultura y Deportes. 2005. p. 54.
  3. ^ a b c d e f Equipo Reseña (1988). Cine para leer. Colección Cinereseña. Editorial Razón y Fe. ISBN 8427115768.
  4. ^ "Mariá José Moreno, Simón de Honor". Catálogo obras inscritas estrenadas en 2015. VI Edición Premios Simón del Cine Aragonés (PDF). Academia del Cine Aragonés. 2017.
  5. ^ Pacheco Jiménez, Laura (2021). Cuestión de género: La representación de la mujer en la Historia del thriller español (PDF). Universidad de Sevilla. p. 203.
  6. ^ Sanz Ferreruela, Fernando (2013). "De paisajes y baturros. La imagen de Aragón y los aragoneses en el audiovisual español" (PDF). Archivo de Filología Aragonesa. 69: 155. ISSN 0210-5624.
  7. ^ Marti, Octavi (22 September 1988). "La imagen de Región, en 'El aire de un crimen'". El País.
  8. ^ "El aire de un crimen · España 1988". Biblioteca Virtual Miguel de Cervantes. Retrieved 9 July 2022.
  9. ^ Marti, Octavi (2 November 1988). "Región tiene rostro". El País.
  10. ^ Marti, Octavi (25 September 1988). "La película británica del director Andrew Grieve obtiene la Concha de Oro". El País.
  11. ^ "El aire de un crimen". premiosgoya.com. Academia de las Artes y las Ciencias Cinematográficas de España. Retrieved 9 July 2022.