People in Shenzhen are in for a treat with a captivating selection of Spanish films as a follow-up to the previous British and Dutch film shows.

The upcoming Spanish Film Festival at Lumiere’s two cinemas promises an exciting lineup, featuring remarkable works by esteemed directors such as Pedro Almodovar and Wim Wenders and starring such big names as Penelope Cruz, Antonio Banderas, Annette Bening, Naomi Watts and James McAvoy.

Official Competition (2021)

Plot: When a billionaire decides to create an iconic movie, he demands the best, so he recruits Lola Cuevas (Penelope Cruz) to mastermind this endeavor and casts two actors with massive talent but even bigger egos: heartthrob Félix Rivero (Antonio Banderas) and radical theater actor Iván Torres (Oscar Martinez).

Submergence (2017)

Plot: In this Wim Wenders film, while James (James McAvoy) is held captive by terrorists in Somalia, his lover Danny, thousands of miles away on the Greenland Sea, prepares to dive herself in a submersible to the deep bottom of the ocean, tormented by the memories of their brief encounter in France and her inability to know his whereabouts.

Julieta (2016)

Plot: Directed by Pedro Almodovar, this film spans 30 years in Julieta’s life from a nostalgic 1985 where everything seems hopeful, to 2015 where her life appears to be beyond repair and she is on the verge of madness.

Mother and Child (2009)

Plot: Karen (Annette Bening) is a physical therapist who regrets that, as a teenager, she gave up her daughter for adoption. Elizabeth (Naomi Watts), an adopted child, is now a successful lawyer, but her personal life lacks warmth. Lucy (Kerry Washington) and her husband have failed to conceive and hope to adopt a baby to make their family complete.

Never Look Back (2020)

Plot: In this documentary, Carmen arrives in Buenos Aires ready to celebrate her art: flamenco. The burden of what she’s left behind impairs her reaching out for her dream.

Nora (2020)

Plot: Nora is in her 30s and has barely left her village. When her grandfather passes away, Nora decides to journey along the Basque coast to reunite his ashes with her grandma’s.

Summer 1993 (2017)

Plot: After her mother’s death, 6-year-old Frida is sent to her uncle’s family. But Frida finds it hard to forget her mother and adapt to her new life.

Lots of Kids, a Monkey and a Castle (2017)

Plot: Spanish actor Gustavo Salmerón steps behind the camera in this documentary to capture the winsome eccentricities of his mother Julita, who has three dreams: having lots of kids, owning a monkey and living in a castle.

Pikadero (2015)

Plot: Unable to flee the nest due to the economic crisis that grips Spain, a penniless, young couple has trouble consummating their fledgling relationship in their parents’ homes.

Dates: June 29-July 16

Schedule & ticketing: WeChat miniprogram “盧米埃影城+”

Venue 1: Shenzhen Lumière Pavilion, 4/F, AVIC City Dreams-On Mall, Futian District (中航城君尚購物中心四樓盧米埃深圳華強北IMAX影城)

Metro: Line 1 to Huaqiang Road Station (華強路站), Exit B

Venue 2: Shenzhen Lumière Pavilion, 3/F, Phase 1, Getaway One, Nanshan District (匯港購物中心一期三樓盧米埃深圳匯港IMAX影城)

Metro: Line 2 or 12 to Sea World Station (海上世界站), Exit A