Oscar Martínez, Penélope Cruz and Antonio Banderas showed off at the 78th edition of the Venice International Film Festival presenting the film they star in, a cinematographic satire that generated several laughs and spread their first criticisms and reactions of the prey. The film is entitled “Official Competition”, and is the new of the Argentine duo of filmmakers integrated by Mariano Cohn and Gastón Duprat: authors of other productions such as “Illustrious Citizen”, “My masterpiece” and “4×4”. Produced by The Mediapro Studio (“4×4”), and with a script by Andrés Duprat, the film follows the story of a billionaire businessman who seeks to make a film, in search of transcendence and prestige.
Directors Mariano Cohn and Gastón Duprat with Oscar Martínez, Penélope Cruz and Antonio Banderas | Photo: Reuters
“To do this, he hires the best: a stellar team formed by the famous filmmaker Lola Cuevas (Cruz) and two renowned actors, owners of an enormous talent, but with an even bigger ego: the Hollywood actor Félix Rivero (Banderas) and the radical theater actor Iván Torres (Martínez). Both are legends, but not exactly best friends. Through a series of increasingly eccentric trials established by Lola, Felix and Ivan must face not only each other, but also their own legacies.
Penelope Cruz shone at the Venice Film Festival | Photo: Reuters
The film is ironic being a kind of parody of film competitions, as well as the process of creating a feature film, a world that is their own. And something that we observe even in the trailer, whose typography imitates those of awards events. In addition, he feeds on comedy and ridicule – something seen in his fictions – in situations that his characters circumvent.
In another of his presentations | Photo: Reuters
It is the third time that Cohn and Duprat perform at the Venice International Film Festival, where they performed “The Illustrious Citizen”, which awarded Martinez with the Volpi Cup, and “My Masterpiece”. Now, they had the luxury of summoning the Oscar winner and the winner in Cannes, who in their words, travel in the film “absolutely new and unexplored paths”
“We’ve never seen these great actors doing such a playful performance like they do in ‘Official Competition.’ And the artistic result they achieve is frankly extraordinary and surprising. Pure dynamite. We can’t wait to share this acting masterclass at the Palazzo del Cinema,” the directors said in an official statement as they unveiled the film’s presentation.
Oscar Martínez and his partner Marina Borenztein | Photo: Reuters
Along with the protagonists, the cast includes José Luis Gómez, Nagore Aramburu, Irene Escolar, Manolo Solo and Pilar Castro.
Antonio Banderas at the Venice | Festival Photo: Reuters
Other productions
Beyond Venice, Duprat and Cohn are working on other national productions, and their next project is for one of the big streaming platforms.
Gastón Duprat and Mariano Cohn at the Venice Film Festival | Photo: Reuters
This is “El encargado”, a series starring Guillermo Francella, who returns to work with the filmmakers, more than three years after “Mi obra maestra” (2018). It will be seen soon on Star+.
For her part, this is a great year for Penélope Cruz who presents a new film with Pedro Almodóvar, director with whom she made dozens of renowned works, “Madres paralelas”.
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