Filmax has nabbed sales rights to “May I Speak With the Enemy,” a biopic focusing on the Spanish Civil War years of Miguel Gila, who went on to pioneer stand-up in Spain. Gila developed a comedy of the absurd informed by his experiences in the conflict.
“May I Speak With the Enemy” is produced by Pecado Films, a producer on Victor Erice’s “Close Your Eyes,” and Arcadia Motion Pictures, behind Oscar-nominated “Robot Dreams” and Rodrigo Sorogoyen’s “The Beasts.”
Co-written by Alexis Morante from an original idea by Pecado producer José Alba, “May I Speak” stars newcomer Oscar Lasarte, a comedian and magician, as a young Gila, just 17 when he heads for the trenches, to suffer through battles, hunger and a botched execution by a drunken firing squad.
The experiences inspired one of his most famous sketches, where he phones up the enemy to ask them to stop the war and, if it has to attack on Sunday, could it be after soccer matches.
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“Just as ‘Life Is Beautiful’ did so brilliantly back in the day, this film works as a superb reflection on the miseries of life, the stupidity of war and how humor and kindness are the only way to overcome those obstacles,” said Ivan Díaz, Filmax head of international.
