Top 200 Most Anticipated Foreign Films of 2023: #76. Antonio Mendez Esparza’s Que nadie duerma

Que nadie duerma

Settling into his fourth feature film (and third fiction following 2020’s Courtroom 3H) in February of last year, Spaniard Antonio Mendez Esparza teamed with writer-director Clara Roquet on the screenplay for professional impasse in a woman’s life. Starring Aitana Sánchez-Gijón and Malena Alterio, this was originally titled “Madrid It Is,” and is about reinvention and….revenge and is based on Juan José Millás’ novel. Esparza first blasted onto the scene with 2012’s Aquí y Allá (a Cannes Critic’s Week winner) and 2017’s Life and Nothing More (TIFF/San Sebastián entry), the filmmaker reteamed with Barbu Balasoiu. Aquí y Allí Films’ Pedro Hernández produced what smells like a comedy tweaked with darkness.

Gist: This focuses on Lucía, who leads a discrete life, has a peculiar sense of humor and sense of duty, and a dreamy personality. Her quiet life suddenly changes, however, when her boss embezzles funds at the company and everybody lose their jobs. She decides to reinvent her life, working as a taxi driver. When her life finally seems to regain a certain stability and ease, Lucía sees how everything takes another turn for the worst.

Release Date/Prediction: Berlinale competition is a possibility. San Sebastián premiere might be in the cards later down the line.