11-M

Author(s): T.D. (TX)
11-M

Directed by Alejandro González Iñárritu
Written by Guillermo Arriaga
Produced by Alejandro González Iñárritu, Steve Golin, and Jon Kilik
Distributed by Focus Features
Cinematography by Rodrigo Prieto
Editing by Stephen Mirrione
Music by Gustavo Santaolalla

Main Cast

Sergi López as Enrique Carrión
Belén Rueda as Rosalinda Carrión
Benicio Del Toro as Luis Garza
Ivana Baquero as Abril Santos

Tagline: “They never knew March 11 was going to be their life changing day.”

Synopsis: On March 11, 2004, a tragic event had occurred in the city of Madrid , Spain . From 7:30 to 8:00 a.m., a series of coordinated bombings took place against the commuter train systems, and the bombings killed 191 people and wounded 1,755. Of the many wounded in the incident, four survivors were at the station during the explosions, and they all loose someone close to them in the explosions. The four individuals are:

-Enrique and Rosalinda Carrión. Enrique is a diplomat working in the American embassy, and his wife Rosalinda is a teacher at the university where their two daughters Ana and Carmen are attending. The family was on their way to work or school by traveling on the commuter trains. While on the train, the daughters notice some cute guys in the other train car, and they decided to go talk to them. Enrique and Rosalinda looked for them once they got off, but they didn’t see them and assume that they were still on the train. The doors close, and the train starts to leave the station. Soon, an explosion occurs, and both Enrique and Rosalinda fall to the ground and black out.

-Luis Garza. Luis is a tourist from Puerto Rico visiting Spain with his fiancée Maria. The two were touring the city that early morning, and when they grew tired of walking around they decided to take the commuter trains back to the hotel. The two got on, and during the train ride Maria told Luis that she is enjoying the trip and can’t wait to get back to Puerto Rico to marry him. The train stops, and the couple exits the train, but Maria stops and tells Luis she forgot the traveling bag on the train. She gets back on, and the doors close. Luis runs up and tries to open the door, but the train starts moving. Soon, an explosion occurs, and Luis falls to the ground and black out.

-Abril Santos. Abril is a quiet girl who lives with her mother. Her mother is the only person she has in her life, and she would never leave her side. Her mother was taking her to school that morning, and since the taxi cabs were full she told Abril that they’re going to take the train. Abril dislike riding the trains, but she had no choice but to go along with her. While on the train, her mother had to use the bathroom and leaves her. When the train stopped Abril notices the candy stand outside and got off. Her mother, who was looking for her, stood at the door and told her to hurry up and get back on. As Abril took her time walking back, the doors close and she runs to the doors and tries to open it, but the train starts moving. Soon, an explosion occurs, and Abril falls to the ground and black out.

A few hours after the attacks, the four were rushed to the hospital for treatment. They woke up that evening to find themselves in the crowded hospital filled with other wounded people. The next day, the police came to their rooms and told them that their love ones were killed in the explosions, and from that very moment their lives were going to change forever over a course of three days as they try to cope with their lost.

What the press would say:

Alejandro González Iñárritu, the acclaimed director of “Amores Perros”, “21 Grams”, and “Babel”, returns to the big screen with his new film “11-M”, a Spanish-speaking multiple story drama about the famous terrorist attacks that took place in Spain on March 11, and the individuals who survived the attacks but lost their love ones. Iñárritu teams up with longtime friend Guillermo Arriaga, who wrote his previous films. Arriaga’s script is compelling and heartbreaking, and it’s a piece of work that’ll be remembered throughout the rest of the month. Sergi López leads an all-star cast as Enrique Carrión, a diplomat who loses his two daughters to the explosions in the train station. López brings this brash but compassionate character to life as he plays a man who neglects his wife and only wishes to find the men responsible for killing his daughters. Not only was he the star of the film, but so was his co-star Belén Rueda, who plays Enrique’s wife Rosalinda. Rueda delivers an amazing performance as the loving wife who becomes neglected by her husband and questions her faith and existence in God after losing her daughters, thus leading to a tragic suicidal death. Leading the supporting cast is none other than Academy Award winning actor Benicio Del Toro, who delivers yet another moving performance as Luis Garza, a once joyful and appreciated man who was engaged to Maria, the love of his life. Del Toro is wonderful in every scene he’s in as he plays a man suffering through the lost of his fiancée but manages to cope with the lost after praying for strength and guidance from God and moves on at the end of the film. Rounding up the stellar cast is none other than the rising star Ivana Baquero, who plays the young school student Abril Santos. Abril is a quiet yet spoil girl who’d always depend on her mother to be there for her. However, she never knew that her mother was going to leave her for good that day. Baquero is by far the best in the film, and delivers an outstanding performance as her character is put into a foster home when no relative claims her and must live her life without anyone to care for her in the orphanage. Overall, “11-M” is a moving and extraordinary film that is bound to become a masterpiece in the eyes of critics and audiences come May and a classic throughout the year.

For Your Consideration

Best Picture
Best Foreign Language Film
Best Director – Alejandro González Iñárritu
Best Actor in a Leading Role – Sergi López
Best Actress in a Leading Role – Belén Rueda
Best Actor in a Supporting Role – Benicio Del Toro
Best Actress in a Supporting Role – Ivana Baquero
Best Original Screenplay