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PRODUCTION / FUNDING Spain / USA

Filming has wrapped on Speak Sunlight, the debut film by producer Carol Polakoff

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- Carmen Machi, Karra Elejalde and the young Matteo Artuñedo are the main actors in this adaptation of Alan Jolis' novel of the same name

Filming has wrapped on Speak Sunlight, the debut film by producer Carol Polakoff
Karra Elejalde, Matteo Artuñedo and Carmen Machi in Speak Sunlight (© Babieka Films)

On Tuesday 28 June, filming wrapped on Speak Sunlight, the first directorial venture for Washington producer Carol Polakoff (The Death of Cinema and My Father Too [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile
]
), a friend of the real-life protagonist of the story, Alan Jolis, who captured the summer that marked his life in the novel that also lends its name to this debut: Speak Sunlight. Natxo López (Jefe [+see also:
trailer
film profile
]
) together with the filmmaker herself and John Milarky have adapted the script; and its cast is led by Carmen Machi (who stars in Full of Grace [+see also:
trailer
film profile
]
currently in Spanish cinemas), Karra Elejalde (who will premiere the comedy Too Many Chefs [+see also:
trailer
film profile
]
in September), Ahikar Azcona (seen in the series Money Heist) and the new face Matteo Artuñedo.

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The action unfolds in Paris, 1965: Maruja and Manolo live there after 30 years in exile from Spain, working for the family of an American ambassador, the Jolis. But this year, she decides to confront her past and to do so, she embarks on a journey with her partner and Alan Jolis to her origins in Spain. A journey in which she will have to ensure that the young man will grow up to be a good man. In turn, Manolo and Alan will learn to enjoy their present and focus on the future, because this journey will not only be physical, but also emotional.

"This film is about life, loss and love," says the director. "To do this, the audience will play an active role: who will feel as though they are in the kitchen, on the train, running with the bulls... Memory often lapses into sentimentality and a lack of confrontation with the people who perpetuated difficult times and hurtful truths. However, in Speak Sunlight, this will be a gift, allowing the audience to develop a real emotional connection with the characters and their humanity."

"Speak Sunlight is a vision of the future through the eyes of a child. Because of this it is timeless, because what we see are the relationships that change the boy's life and stay with him forever," the filmmaker continues. "Despite the timelessness of these feelings, I hope to give the film a political quality: Franco's government will be felt and seen, especially to understand Manolo's hidden past and to make Alan see that life is not fair.”

Speak Sunlight is a production of the Spanish company Babieka Films and US company Viewfinder Pictures with José Luis Alcaine as director of photography, Lucas Vidal composing the soundtrack and Teresa Font in charge of editing. The Navarra towns of Estella, Pamplona and Gallipienzo, as well as Madrid, Segovia and Toledo are the locations where the film was shot between May and June.

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(Translated from Spanish)

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