From writers/directors Juan González and Nando Martínez, comes The Fantastic Golem Affairs, an absurdist Spanish sci-fi comedy that was offered internationally during the 2023 film festivals, Fantasia and Fantastic Fest (Austin, TX) among others. The film is about friendship and relationships, especially parents, but not in the manner these themes may be normally written about. In this story, the viewer will see what appears to be regular everyday people living life and yet, not as “normal” as originally thought by a few people. The film is very amusing in the first half of the film and slows down a bit, but it is different enough with the commentary about life, love and friendship to watch the film.
The film begins with Juan (Brays Efe) and David (David Menéndez) playing a game of charades on the rooftop of an apartment/condo building. They continued drinking the morning after partying hard the night before. While David is really trying to impress Juan with his skill with charades, he accidentally falls to his death. His landing on a car on the street below does not result in scenes we usually see. David is not alive; Juan is in disbelief.
The discovery and tragedy sent Juan on a journey he was not expecting. Yes, there is grief, but he also wants to find out the truth behind David’s being. They were childhood friends. A funeral ceremony is held for what is left of David, with the priest blessing the remains. By the look on the priest’s face and other onlookers, this is not their first time to do this.
Then comes the legalities Juan is now facing, including inheritance being questioned, bill collectors, potential lawsuits, etc. He must dig further into what is the truth before he agrees to anything and there is a whole cast of characters to contend with every step. His investigation into David goes deeper into unexpected territory, including his father.
Cast: Brays Efe, Bruna Cusí, Luis Tosar, Javier Botet, Anna Castillo, Nao Albet, Roberto Álamo, Roger Coma, Tito Valverde, David Menéndez
98 mins | Spain | In Spanish with English Subtitles | Comedy | Unrated
Fantastic Fest Presents at Alamo Drafthouse on August 25 & 26 (screenings include Austin and Dallas). There is a theatrical release starting August 29th and into September across various cities and the list of theaters can be found https://lnk.at/golemaffairs.
Source: Gluon Media
###