“There came a point when, upon arriving on set, I found myself drawn to how things were made, and I started wondering about how a story was told one way or another; that was when I realized I wanted to get behind the camera myself,” said Ricardo Gómez.
The Spanish actor, widely known in his home country for playing Carlos Alcántara in the long-running television series Cuéntame cómo pasó, has made his feature film directorial debut with Una familia.
Filmax Acquires Worldwide Rights After Valladolid Premiere
The film had its world premiere at the 71st edition of the Valladolid International Film Festival. It screened out of competition in the Official Selection and at the RTVE Gala.
Filmax acquired the worldwide rights to the feature. The company presented a teaser trailer to buyers at the American Film Market and scheduled a theatrical release in Spain for February 19, 2027.
The film’s international sales operations are managed by Filmax, where Iván Díaz serves as the head of international. Speaking about the project, Díaz said that the uncertainty surrounding what is fictional and what is real creates a stimulating experience for viewers.
“In a very interesting way I also found that the uncertainty about what is fiction and what was real creates a very stimulating film for the audience, that can interpretate it in different ways and that deeply resonates with every viewer, even if our lives were very different and we didn’t grew up in front of a camera,” Díaz added.
“From the very first time that I read the script I was very touched,” said Iván Díaz, head of international at Filmax.
Director Examines Family Roots
Written by Gómez, the film examines the complex dynamics of family ties and single motherhood. It draws inspiration from the director’s memory.
The narrative is organized around three distinct timelines. They trace moments in the lives of a mother, father, and son.
Gómez began writing the project in 2019. He spent several years bringing the script to completion.
The conceptual foundation of the narrative began with a structural approach focusing on a father, a mother, and a son over a twenty-four hour period.
Reflecting on his career in the entertainment industry, Gómez spoke about the support he received throughout his years in the profession.
“He tenido la suerte de tener una red de cariño y de amor, y de sentir mucha pasión y respeto por la profesión que llevo desempeñando veintiséis años. Estoy agradecido a todas esas personas que han puesto su grano de arena para que no me haya vuelto gilipollas a lo largo de todos estos años”, Gómez said to infobae.
The cast features Claudia Traisac as the mother Clara, Patrick Criado as the father Enrique, Ana Wagener as the grandmother, and young newcomer Víctor Lite as the son Pablo. To prepare for their roles, the actors engaged in intensive pre-production work.
Criado visited the Soto del Real prison alongside the director to understand the weight of his character’s situation. Traisac said that rehearsals allowed the cast to explore gaps in the script and flesh out the characters’ lives.
Ana Wagener, who holds a Goya Award for Best Supporting Actress for La voz dormida, described her role as demanding due to the script leaving many events implied.
Production Uses Analog Film
Cinematographer Sara Gallego shot the feature on 16 mm film to capture the authentic aesthetic of the 1990s.
Diego Betancor discussed how he joined the project after reading the initial draft.
“When Ricardo let me read the script for ‘A Family’ in 2020, I knew that his desire to direct came from a deep need to tell his own stories and to be the driving force behind the narrative, rather than a tool at the service of others,” Betancor said regarding the director’s vision.
He said that the analog format ultimately benefited the costume and makeup departments while matching the financial efficiency of digital shooting.
“They brought us experience and expertise that had a major impact,” Betancor said regarding the collaboration with co-producers.