MALAGA — Isaki Lacuesta’s “Saturn Return” (“Second Prize”), always a frontrunner topped this week’s Malaga Festival winning its best picture and, with co-director Pol Rodríguez, best director awards.
The double plaudit delivers further recognition for a feature which pulls off the double achievement of being formally radical and great fun at one and the same time.
Turning on Spanish indie rock group Los Planetas storied attempts to making their third and finally iconic album, but really about people’s need to recast the past as comprehensible narrative and a biopic parody, “Saturn Return” has been hailed by Spanish newspaper El Mundo as a “masterpiece.”
Playing Sundance where it was judged a “conventional tearjerker about an inspiring teacher” which “benefits from a terrific ensemble,” Christopher Zalla’s “Radical” walked off with Malaga’s Golden Biznaga for best Ibero-American picture.
In the other biggest award at the year’s Festival, Celia Rico’s “Little Loves” (“Los pequeños amores”) took the Special Jury Award.
