Spain’s Aquí y Allí Bets on Actor-Director Daniel Guzmán’s Drama Thriller ‘La Deuda’ (EXCLUSIVE)

Emiliano De Pablos
·2 min read
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Madrid-based Aquí y Allí Films, one of Spain’s most successful auteur movie production houses, is joining forces with popular Spanish actor turned writer-director Daniel Guzmán (“Nothing in Return,” “Canallas”) to produce drama thriller “La deuda.”

Backed by Spain’s pay TV giant Movistar+ and public broadcaster RTVE, “La deuda” will be produced by Aquí y Allí’s Pedro Hernández and Guzmán at El Niño Producciones.

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The film is scheduled to roll in Madrid by the fall.

Written by Guzmán, “La deuda” tells the story of Lucas, a 37-year-old man and the 86 year-old woman Antonia, who live together in a city too big to be alone. Lucas is looking for a job but the job seems not to be looking for him.

Despite the economic difficulties they are going through, and their generational difference, they live day to day with a certain enthusiasm. Until Lucas’ decision will change the rest of their lives.

“I share with Pedro a vision and a cinematographic style that is essential to develop and produce a project as personal as this one,” Guzmán said.

“Dani’s managed to bring together in ‘La Deuda’ many of the elements that make a film work with the audience without losing auteurship,” Hernández added.

“It is a human story, with wonderful, deep characters. It’s tender, sometimes hard, and has a lot of rhythm. And most importantly, it has his stamp,” Hernández observed.

Guzmán’s directorial debut “Nothing in Return” scored best picture, director and a Critics’ Prize at 2015’s Malaga Film Festival, going on to scoop Spanish Academy Goyas for new director and breakout actor (Miguel Herrán).

Its follow-up, “Canallas,” a Movistar+ original movie production released by Universal Pictures, world premiered at the 2022 Málaga Festival.

Launched in 2010, Aquí y Allí first caught attention with “Here and There,” the debut feature of Antonio Méndez Esparza, which won Cannes Critics’ Week Grand Prize in 2012.

Further Aquí y Allí productions take in Carlos Vermut’s “Magical Girl,” which snagged San Sebastian’s Golden Shell in 2016, and Méndez Esparza’s “Life and Nothing More,” winner of the John Cassavetes Spirit Award in 2017.

“Berlin is undoubtedly one of the best starting points to present ‘La deuda,'” Guzmán explained.

“I hope that will be the beginning of a collaboration that gives continuity to future projects.”

“We aim to close a European co-production and strong international sales. We are already in advanced negotiations with potential travel companions,” Hernández noted.

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