Directed by Mariano Cohn and Gastón Duprat
Starring Penélope Cruz, Antonio Banderas, Oscar Martínez and José Luis Gómez
Loathe the film industry? Then this might be just the film for you!
It is the 80th birthday of millionaire business owner Humberto Suárez (José Luis Gómez). Seemingly unfulfilled on his milestone occasion, Humberto’s birthday wish is to indelibly assign his successful name to something he considers worthy and of significance. Knowing he has a sizeable budget at his disposal, Humberto decides to fund a movie destined to become a smash-hit at the box office. He then meets with highly-acclaimed and award-winning filmmaker, Lola Cuevas (Penélope Cruz) to discuss the chosen material he surprisingly knows little about to adapt to screen. Lola is hired and casts the two lead actors in her film: a multiple award-winning egotistical ladies’ man, Félix Rivero (Antonio Banderas) and the less-celebrated married man, Iván Torres (Oscar Martínez).
Fireworks and controversy ensue. Lines are blurred and crossed. From a pedantic and daring director deriving her version of perfection to competitive performing artists practicing their contrasting methods in acting, no one is safe from the satirical spotlight shown upon the movie biz in this outrageously laugh-out-loud Spanish-Argentine comedy.
Official Competition is almost entirely set during the rehearsals of the movie within the movie being produced. As such, it is often without and certainly limited in the plot trajectory department. This film uses and relies on its premise to generate one sequence after another that illustrates and exposes just some of the painful processes, the awkwardness and absurdities of the movie making process. As Lola’s technique’s get more twisted and the actors become more uncomfortable and vulnerable in every way possible, these sequences increase in hilarity and anticipation for the next. Lola ostensibly has as much crazy in her veins as she does hair on her head (see above), so expect Official Competition to grow some darker strands as it heads towards its conclusion!
By the end, I could not help but curiously wonder if the duo of directors working on this film employed any of the techniques being ridiculed here. Did life imitate art at all? Or is that art imitate art? Regardless, it is a highly entertaining exaggeration of the film industry… or is it? 😉
Official Competition is showing as part of the 2022 Moro Spanish Film Festival in Australia.
Moviedoc thanks Miranda Brown Publicity for the invite to the opening night screening of this film.
Review by Leigh for Moviedoc
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