Top 100 Most Anticipated Foreign Films of 2017: # 71. Agustin Diaz Yanes’ Oro

Oro

Director: Agustin Diaz Yanes
Writer: Agustin Diaz Yanes

One of Spain’s most unappreciated directors (at least as far as international renown) is Agustin Diaz Yanes. If you haven’t seen his 2001 sophomore film Don’t Tempt Me starring Penelope Cruz and Victoria Abril as representatives of Heaven and Hell duking it out over the soul of Demain Bichir’s broody boxer, you’re missing out. After the large scale international co-production Alatriste (2006) starring Viggo Mortensen. Yanes reunited with Abril for the revenge thriller Walking Vengeance (aka Just Walking) in 2008. He’s been quiet since, but will be adapting another work by celebrated author Arturto Perez-Reverte (who penned the novels upon which Alatriste is based) this year with Oro, a period adventure inspired by 16th century Spanish conquistadors searching for gold in the Amazon jungle. Sony Pictures Spain boarded the project which stars Oscar Jaenada (Cantinflas) and some faces we recognize from recent Almodovar titles, like Barbara Lennie (The Skin I Live In) and Raul Arevalo (I’m So Excited).

Cast: Oscar Jaenada, Raul Arevalo, Barbara Lennie, Juan Echanove

Production Co./Producer(s): Sony Pictures Spain, Atresmedia Cine, Apache Films

U.S. Distributor: Rights available.

Release Date: We had pegged Oro as a possible 2016 release, but this appears to be in the more ambitious scope of Alatriste (which is the second most expensive Spanish production behind Amenembar’s 2009 film Agora). Yanes’ last film premiered Walking Vengeance played at Berlin’s Panorama. With filming completed, we hope Oro makes an appearance at Venice.

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