Presskit BLACK BREAD

presents

BLACK BREAD

A film by AGUSTÍ VILLARONGA

Starring FRANCESC COLOMER, MARINA COMAS, NORA NAVAS, ROGER CASAMAJOR, LLUÏSA CASTELL and SERGI LÓPEZ

Produced by MASSA D'OR PRODUCCIONS and TELEVISIÓ DE CATALUNYA

CAST Andreu FRANCESC COLOMER Núria MARINA COMAS Florència NORA NAVAS Farriol ROGER CASAMAJOR Ció LLUÏSA CASTELL Ms. Manubens MERCÉ ARÀNEGA Enriqueta MARINA GATELL Grandmother ELISA CREHUET and the special collaboration of LAIA MARULL (Pauleta), EDUARD FERNÁNDEZ (Teacher), SERGI LÓPEZ (Mayor)

CREW Screenplay & Directed by AGUSTÍ VILLARONGA based on a roman of EMILI TEIXIDOR Executive Producer ISONA PASSOLA DOP ANTONIO RIESTRA AMC Art Director ANA ALVARGONZALEZ Wardrobe MERCÈ PALOMA Make up ALMA CASAL Hairdresser SATUR MERINO Delegate Producer LLUÍS FERRANDO Line Producer ALEIX CASTELLÓN Sound DANI FONTRODONA FERNANDO NOVILLO RICARD CASALS Editor RAÚL ROMÁN Music JOSÉ MANUEL PAGAN

TECHNICAL FEATURES Running time: 108 min Origination format: 35 mm Theatrical format: 35 mm Screen ratio: 1:1,85 Sound format: Dolby Stereo SR (format 05) Year of production: 2010

WORLD SALES Beta Cinema, Gruenwalder Weg 28d, D – 82041 Oberhaching, Tel: + 49 89 67 34 69 80 [email protected] , www.betacinema.com

INTERNATIONAL PRESS Beta Cinema Press, Dorothee Stoewahse, Mobile: + 49 170 63 84 627 [email protected]

For further information: Beta Cinema Press, Dorothee Stoewahse, Tel: + 49 89 67 34 69 15, Mobile: + 49 170 63 84 627, [email protected] , www.betacinema.com ; Pictures and filmclips available on ftp.betafilm.com , username: ftppress01, password: betapress

SHORT SYNOPSIS (LOGLINE)

A story of an awakening of an adolescent’s moral consciousness and the discovery of sexuality, depicted on the background of a murder that stuns the population of a small Spanish post-civil-war village and brings to light all of its long and well hidden secrets.

SYNOPSIS

11 year old Andreu, witnesses the last few seconds in the lives of a little boy and his father. The boy’s last word is “Pitorliua”- the name of a mysterious ghost living in the cave in the woods. The local police, investigating the bodies that lie below the cliff in the woods, initially label it an accident but soon change their minds to murder. No-one but Andreu’s father Farriol is pointed at as the main suspect. Andreu’s world begins to fall apart. His beloved father and hero disappears to hide from the police and his exhausted mother is forced to work extra hours in a run-down factory just so they can survive. To keep him safe, Andreu is taken to live on a farm in the country where his grandmother and her daughters- widows of the war- find their own way to make it through tough times with his cousins. Here he is faced with the grim realities of a post-war country for the first time. To cope with his feelings of fear and loss, he creates a fantasy world, made up of his menagerie of birds, local myths and legends and a risky but appealing friendship with a contagious boy living with other similarly infected people in a convent, isolated of the rest of the village. Yet Andreu cannot escape reality for long. When the police make it clear they are not searching for another suspects, he decides to find the real killer to clear the name of his father. As he digs into the town’s secrets he discovers to his horror, how “Pitorliua” and other myths he believed to be only stories, are in fact true, and that they involve the people he loves most. He learns that among the lies and fallen morals caused by war and poverty, no-one remains blameless. Andreu’s father is eventually captured, found guilty and executed for the murders. Following this, Andreu is offered an opportunity to start a new life, when the richest family in town offer to take him in and pay for his education. He might not know how much this offer is related to his father and how it is actually a reward for what his father did for the family but he realizes then, that growing up sometimes means starting a new leaving your family and past behind.

ABOUT THE PRODUCTION

Award winning cult director Agustí Villaronga helms this drama based on the critically acclaimed best seller of the same name written by Emili Teixidor. Massa d`Or Produccions bring on board a top Spanish and International crew that complement both, the quality of the material and the director. “Black Bread” is one of the first hand-selected titles from the recently implemented plans of the Catalan government and Catalan TV, to finance an co-produce outstanding high-budget internationally renowned productions.

AGUSTÍ VILLARONGA: writer and director

Agustí Villaronga (Palma de Mallorca 1953) represents the thrilling edge of Spanish cinematography in the way that David Lynch or Gus Van Sant represent it for US cinema. Unique in his style, he is renown for splendid visuals while delivering powerful dramas. Agustí Villaronga is best known for his 3

movies “In a glass cage” his debut and presented at Berlin Film Festival, “The Sea”, winner of the Berlinale’s Manfred Salzgeber Award and nominee for the Berlinale’s Golden Bear, as well as “El Niño De la Luna” with a Goya Film award for Best Script and has been nominated for the Cannes Film Festival’s Golden Palm.

EMILI TEIXIDOR: author of the novel

Critically and commercially acclaimed Emili Teixidor, author of the novel “Black Bread” (Pa Negre), has an extensive body of work , including children’s and young adult fiction. “Black Bread” has received widespread critical acclaim and was awarded with the Joan Creixells 2003 Prize and Lletra d’Or 2004 Prize. The novel became the best selling Catalan book of the decade and is considered to his masterpiece.

AGUSTÍ VILLARONGA - FILMOGRAPHY

2010 “PA NEGRE” (“BLACK BREAD”). Massa d’Or Produccions / Isona Passola / TVC / TVE 2007 “DESPUÉS DE LA LLUVIA” (“AFTER THE RAIN”) (TVmovie). Diagonal TV/TVC/TVG Málaga TV movies Festival Plácido Award Manresa Film Festival Casting Award Velencia Film Festival 2005 “FUCK THEM ALL” (Video-clip) By Alternative-Forecast Pictures-Stuffed Monkey- Anouk Nora (París). Video-clip de Myléne Farmer. 2006 “MIQUEL BAUÇÁ: INVISIBLE POET” (Documentary – Fiction). Diagonal TV / TVC. 25 Festival Internacional de Film sur l´Art. (Montreal). 2002 “ARO TOLBUKHIN” Oberón Cinematográfica – Antonio Chavarrías / Altavista (Méjico).- Gustavo Montiel. Official Selection San Sebastian Film Festival 2002 Mexico Oscar representative 7 Ariel Awards Mexico 1 nomination Goya Awards Best Film, director, script and photographie Alexandra Film Festival Femina Award en Stuggart Ludwigsburg Film Festival. Best Film and script Bogotá Film Festival 1997 “99.9” Origen P.C. / Impala /Antonio Cardenal. Official Selection Sitges Film Festival 1997 SilverMelies Roma Film Festival 1997 1996 “PEDAGOGÍA APLICADA” (“APPLYED PEDAGOGY”) (TV episode). T.V.C. / Decom. 1995 “EL PASAJERO CLANDESTINO” (“THE CLANDESTINE PASSENGER”) Arte Francia / Massa d’Or Produccions – Isona Pasola / Pierre Javaux / Gerardo Herrero. 4

1992 “AL ANDALUS” (Documentary). Sogetel- Canal Plus- Fernando de Garcillán Metropolitan Museum of Modern Art. 1988 “EL NIÑO DE LA LUNA” (“MOONCHILD”) Ganesh S.A. – Julián Mateos. Official Selection Cannes Film Festival 1989 Best Film Sant Jordi Award 10 nominations Goya Awards 1985 “TRAS EL CRISTAL” (“IN A GLASS CAGE”) T.E.M. – Teresa Enric. Official Selection Berlin Film Festival (Panorama)1986. Best Film Sant Jordi Award Best Film Barcelona Film Festival Best Film Murcia Film Festival

ABOUT THE PRODUCER

MASSA D’OR PRODUCCIONS

Founded by Isona Passola in 1992

2010 “PA NEGRE” (“BLACK BREAD”) by Agustí Villaronga. Co-production with TVC. 2009 “CATALUÑA – ESPANYA” by Isona Passola. Co-production with TVC. 07-08 “MIRANT AL CEL” (“EYES ON THE SKY”) by Jesús Garay. Co-production with TVC, ETB, ISTITUTO LUCE (Roma) and Silverspace Animation Studio 3D. 2006 “JOAN COROMINES” by Joan Dolç. Documentaire for TVC. With the participation of Obra Social Caixa Sabadell, ICIC, lnstitut Ramon Llull, Illes Balears Government, and La Periférica Produccions. 2005 “MARIA I ASSOU” (“MARIA AND ASSOU”) by Sílvia Quer. TV Movie for TVC, TVV, Canal Sur and 2M (Morocco) coproduced with Malvarrosa Media, La Zanfoña and Imago Producciones. 2004 “DESPAREGUT” (“DEAR HENRY”) by Julien Cunillera. Co-production with Les Films du Poisson. Documentary for TVC ant TV10Angers. “EL MANIFEST GROC” (“THE YELLOW MANIFESTO”) by Xavier Montanyà. Documentary for TVC (with the collaboration of KRTU). 2003 “DE NENS” (“PLAYING WITH CHILDREN”) by Joaquín Jordá (with the participation of the ICAA and Vía Digital) - Best Documentary Iberoamerican (exaquo). Inbt. Film Fest. Guadalajara, Mexico. 2002 “MUCHA SANGRE” (“MUCH BLOOD”) by Pepe de las Heras (participation of TVE and Vía Digital. “CABALLÉ, MÁS ALLÁ DE LA MÚSICA” (“CABALLÉ, BEYOND THE MUSIC”) by Antonio P. Farré. In collaboration with Morena Films and Ibits Productions. 2001 “GERMANES DE SANG” (“BLOOD SISTERS”) by Jesús Garay. TVmovie for TVC and Vía Digital. 5

1999 “EL MAR” (“THE SEA”) by Agustí Villaronga (with the participation of TVE and TVC) - Manfred Salzgeber Award at the International Film Festival of Berlín 2000 (Official section). - National Culture Award by the Generalitat de Catalunya, 2001. - Prize for Best Film, Photography and Actors. Melilla Film Festival, 2001. 2000 “VALÈRIA” by Sílvia Quer. TVmovie for TVC. - Prize for best actress, Mercè Aranega, XIV Edition of the FIPA, Biarritz. - Selected in the TOP TEN among 900 candidates. Cologne Conference, 2001. 1998 “EL PIANISTA” (“THE PIANIST”) by Mario Gas (coproduced with Tornasol Films and with the participation of the ARTE channel, TVE and TVC). - Jury Special Mention at the New Haven Film Festival (EUA), 1999. - Critic’s Special Mention at the Newport Film Festival (EUA), 1999. 1997 “MENSAKA” by Salvador García Ruiz (coproduction/minority participation with Tornasol Films). 1996 “LONG COURS” by Alain Tasma (coproduction/minority participation with Pierre Javaux Prod.) 1995 “EL PASAJERO CLANDESTINO” (“THE CLANDESTINE PASSENGER”) by Agustí Villaronga (coproduced with Tornasol Films and with the participation of the ARTE, TVE and TVC). 1993 “LOS DE ENFRENTE” (“THE WINDOW OVER THE WAY”) by Jesús Garay (with the participation of TVC and ARTE). - National Cinematography Award granted by the Generalitat (Catalan Autonomous Government) 1993 to the best production company; best director; best actor: Juanjo Puigcorbé; best photography: and best art direction. - Official selection for the Berlin Film Festival, 1994.

ABOUT BETA CINEMA (World Sales)

Beta Cinema is the theatrical division of Beta Film. Launched in 2001, Beta Cinema has established itself as a "boutique operation" for independent feature films with strong potential for theatrical distribution. Beta Cinema's philosophy is to limit its selective acquisition policy of 10 to 15 titles per year in order to fully develop the theatrical potential of each title according to its individual character. Beta Cinema’s portfolio includes outstanding productions like JOHN RABE, which won four German Film Awards 2009, Cannes 2008 Jury Prize-winning IL DIVO, Academy Award 2008- winning THE COUNTERFEITERS, Academy Award 2008 nominated MONGOL, Academy Award 2007-winning THE LIVES OF OTHERS and the Academy Award 2005-nominated DOWNFALL. Beta Cinema will continue to pick the most promising German films as well as to offer its service and expertise to other European producers looking for individual handling of their productions. Beta Cinema's strength lies in its focus on a carefully selected line-up and development of individual sales strategies with the perfect mix of marketing and festival platforms. Beta Cinema is the best address for established and up-and-coming independent producers and directors looking for individual international handling of their projects.