Hours of Light aka Light Hours (Spanish: Horas de luz)[1][2] is a 2004 Spanish romance and prison drama film directed by Manolo Matji [es] which stars Alberto San Juan and Emma Suárez.
| Hours of Light | |
|---|---|
| Spanish | Horas de luz |
| Directed by | Manolo Matji |
| Screenplay by |
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| Produced by | Gustavo Ferrada |
| Starring |
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| Cinematography | José Luis López Linares |
| Edited by | José María Biurrun |
| Music by | Alfonso de Vilallonga |
Production companies |
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| Distributed by | Warner Sogefilms |
Release dates |
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| Country | Spain |
| Language | Spanish |
Based on a real events, the plot tracks the romantic relationship established in 1991 between prison nurse María del Mar "Marimar" Villar and Juan José Garfia [es], imprisoned because of the cold-blood murder of three in 1987.[3][4][1]
A Sogecine and La Fiesta production, the film had the participation of TVE, Telemadrid, and Canal+.[6] Shooting began on 2 June 2003 and lasted for 8 weeks.[6] The former Hospital Militar del Generalísimo in Calle de Isaac Peral (Madrid) stood in for indoor prison settings.[7] Some outdoor scenes were shot in Leganés.[8]
The film premiered in competition at the 52nd San Sebastián International Film Festival in September 2004.[9] It was met by a chilly reception by the festival audience.[10] Distributed by Warner Sogefilms,[1] it was theatrically released in Spain on 24 September 2004.[5]
Jonathan Holland of Variety considered that despite its commendable intentions, the film is "hampered by its script's inability to follow through the logic of its premise to the emotionally satisfying conclusion it merits".[1]
Casimiro Torreiro of El País considered the film to be both a discourse about remorse and a bet for social rehabilitation.[3]
| Year | Award | Category | Nominee(s) | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | 19th Goya Awards | Best Original Screenplay | José Ángel Esteban, Manolo Matji, Carlos López | Nominated | [4] |
| Best Editing | José María Biurrun | Nominated |