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Abel

Mexico

2010

85 Min
Color
2.35:1
Spanish
  • Currently 3.5/5 Stars.
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DIR Diego Luna

EXEC Gael García Bernal, Geminiano Pineda

PROD Pablo Cruz, Diego Luna

SCR Diego Luna, Augusto Mendoza

DP Patrick Murguía

CAST Christopher Ruiz-Esparza, Gerardo Ruiz-Esparza, Karina Gidi, José María Yazpik, Geraldine Alejandra, Carlos Aragon

ED Miguel Schverdfinger

PROD DES Brigitte Broch

Sundance (Premieres), Cannes (Special Screenings), San Sebastián (Horizontes Latinos): Horizons Award, London (Film on the Square), São Paulo (New Filmmakers Competition), AFI FEST (Gala), Mar del Plata (Latin American Competition), Göteborg (Festivalfavoriter), San Sebastián (Contemporary Mexican Cinema)

Synopsis

Adorable little Abel has problems in the head. His mother collects him from the psychiatric ward hoping not to upset him. She carefully discusses with his teacher how to deal with the absence of Abel’s father. The entire family is on pins and needles, worrying about Abel breaking down. But things take an interesting turn when the little boy emphatically carves out a new role for himself in the family—he decides to become the father of the house. Abel transforms the fear his family has about his episodes into the respect due to the head of the household. Oddly enough, it works! That is, until a stranger shows up at the breakfast table, claiming to be Abel’s father.

Diego Luna, in his debut effort, crafts a heartwarming tale of the way one family’s dynamic works through peculiar means. Abel is an entertaining and endearing family drama that manages to infuse its foreboding tone with a delightful sense of humor. —Sundance Film Festival

Director

Original

Diego Luna

Diego Luna was born Diego Luna Alexander in Mexico City; the son of Fiona Alexander, an English costume designer, and Alejandro Luna, a Mexican set designer who is one of the most acclaimed living theatre, cinema and opera set designers in Mexico. His mother died in a car accident when he was two years old. She had worked in the film industry and had made sure that this was a life Luna would be immersed in. His father also reinforced the importance of theater and the arts in his life. In Luna’s youth, he would bring him to the sets and mentor him in all different aspects of his art, furthering his desire to become an actor and uphold a family tradition. In 2008 he wed Mexican actress Camila Sodi and their son Jerónimo was born on August 12, 2008. They are expecting their second child in July 2010.

From an early age Luna began acting in television, film, and theatre. His first television role was in the 1991 movie El Último Fin de Año. His next role was in the telenovela… read more

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Samanta

28Jun10

Not bad for a first movie. Well done Dieguito

loree

14Jun10

si me gustoooo

Ricardo Morales

14Jun10

Thank god they were showing it in Veracruz. I really liked it. I was afraid it would suck like "la misma luna"; but thankfully, my fears turned out to be wrong. Hilarious one second, heartbreaking the next; a little predictable in that you could see the climatic scene coming from miles away but still, a great movie. The little kid's acting was really good; I hope this is the first of many roles for him. Good job, Diego. Also, why the hell aren't they showing it in Monterrey?

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andres

13Jun10

i liked certain details about it, but as a whole it sucked, it does make you laugh, it even wants to be a little controversial, but in the end its just another one on the pile of mediocre films.

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Vulgaridades

By chicofi​reman on October 29, 2010

O filme de estreia do ator Diego Luna na direção começa delicado, com uma câmera que parece buscar o enquadramento mais carinhoso do protagonista. Os primeiros muitos minutos de Abel são simpaticíssimos…  read review

A Quality Surprise

By Brandon Isaacso​n on January 28, 2010

Surprisingly incredible! Everything about this was of the highest quality. The acting by children and adults is stellar (propelled by years of stage acting together), the cinematography is great, and…  read review

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