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The Sea Inside

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The Sea Inside
Theatrical poster by Toni Galingo.
Directed byAlejandro Amenábar
Written byAlejandro Amenábar
Mateo Gil
Produced byAlejandro Amenábar
Fernando Bovaira
StarringJavier Bardem
Belén Rueda
Lola Dueñas
Mabel Rivera
Celso Bugallo
CinematographyJavier Aguirresarobe
Edited byAlejandro Amenábar
Music byAlejandro Amenábar
Production
companies
Distributed byWarner Sogefilms (Spain)[1]
UGC Fox Distribution (France)[1]
Lucky Red (Italy)[1]
Release date
  • 3 September 2004 (2004-09-03)
Running time
125 minutes
CountriesSpain
France
Italy
LanguagesSpanish
Galician
Catalan
Budget€10 million
Box office$43.7 million

The Sea Inside (Spanish: Mar adentro) is a 2004 Spanish psychological drama film co-written and directed by Alejandro Amenábar, who also co-produced, scored and edited. It is based on the real-life story of Ramón Sampedro (played by Javier Bardem), who was left quadriplegic after a diving accident, and his 28-year campaign in support of euthanasia and the right to end his life. The film won the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film.

Plot

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This is the life story of Spaniard Ramón Sampedro, who fought a 28-year campaign to win the right to end his own life with assisted suicide. The film explores Ramón's relationships with two women: Julia, a lawyer suffering from Cadasil syndrome who supports his cause, and Rosa, a local woman who wants to convince him that his life is worth living. Through the gift of his love, these two women are inspired to accomplish things they never previously thought possible.

Ramón, now 54 years old, has been fighting for 26 years for his right to die following a diving incident which left him paralysed from the neck down. He is unable to end his life by himself and does not wish to implicate his family or friends, as by Spanish law, they would be charged with murder or assisting a suicide. Following the death of his mother, he is cared for by his sister-in-law, Manuela. Ramón's elder brother José does not believe he should have the right to die; both Manuela and her son, Javier, believe in his case.

Ramón's friend Gené, who works for an organization fighting for the right to die, puts him in contact with Julia, a lawyer. As she seeks to learn more about him and his situation in order to fight for his cause, he recounts his past and his reasons for wanting to die: He says that there is no dignity in living paralysed. After seeing his story online, Rosa visits Ramón to convince him to live. He demands that she respect his wishes and she leaves, upset. Later, whilst DJing her part-time radio show, she apologises on air in the hopes that he is listening. She continues to visit, bringing her children, and the two strike up a friendship. Despite romantic interest in both women, Ramón maintains that he is spoken for by death.

Julia reads Ramón's memoir describing his life and experiences as a quadriplegic and urges him to publish it. He imagines flying from his bed to visit her on the beach. Later, she is hospitalised with a stroke and admitted to rehab to relearn how to walk. The two write letters to each other, sending updates of their lives. Ramón loses a court case for his right to die. Rosa, in tears, appears at his house and Ramón admits that he has planned a way to commit suicide without the direct and obvious involvement of anyone else.

Meanwhile, Padre Francisco, a quadriplegic Catholic priest, comes to convince Ramón to want to live. Ramón refuses to be carried downstairs and so the two men converse through the help of a church boy, who runs up and down to share their arguments. Angry and upset, Manuela asks him to leave. Julia visits to assist Ramón in writing his memoir whilst his family and friends discuss his right to die. Divided, they fight. But Ramón is unwavering in his wish. Again, he imagines that he is able-bodied, kissing Julia. Later, she admits that her condition will only become more severe and that she is planning to kill herself. But first, she would like to help Ramón.

Ramón and Javier work together to design and build a wheelchair for him in which he can appear in court to fight for his own right to die. His appeal is ultimately rejected, but Ramón eventually fulfils his wish nonetheless. Each of his friends and family complete a small action in his death; not enough to convict any of them of his murder or assisting his suicide. He records himself on a video camera, narrating his own death, before ingesting a cyanide-laced drink that kills him.

Cast

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Sampedro family

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Ramon's friends

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Others

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  • Josep Maria Pou as Padre Francisco, a quadriplegic Catholic priest
  • Alberto Amarilla as Hermano Andrés
  • Andrea Occhipinti as Santiago
  • Federico Pérez Rey as Conductor (Driver)
  • Xosé Manuel Olveira as Juez 1 (Judge 1)
  • César Cambeiro as Juez 2
  • Xosé Manuel Esperanto as Periodista 1 (Reporter 1)
  • Yolanda Muiños as Periodista 2
  • Adolfo Obregón as Ejecutivo (Executive)
  • José Luis Rodríguez as Presentador (TV host)
  • Julio Jordán as Encuadernador (Bookbinder)
  • Juan Manuel Vidal as Amigo Ramón (Ramón's friend)
  • Marta Larralde as Muchacha en la playa (Girl on beach)
  • Jacob Ahlgren as himself (Baller)

Reception

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Critical response

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The film received positive reviews from critics. It currently holds an 85% rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 133 reviews, with an average rating of 7.6/10. Its consensus summary states: "Held aloft by a transfixing performance from Javier Bardem as a terminally ill man who chooses to die, The Sea Inside transcends its melodramatic story with tenderness and grace."[2] Metacritic assigned the film a weighted average score of 74 out of 100, based on 38 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[3]

Accolades

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Award Category Nominee(s) Result
Academy Awards[4] Best Foreign Language Film Won
Best Makeup Jo Allen and Manolo García Nominated
AARP Movies for Grownups Awards[5] Best Foreign Film Nominated
Actors and Actresses Union Awards Leading Male Film Performance Javier Bardem Won
Secondary Male Film Performance Celso Bugallo Won
Secondary Female Film Performance Lola Dueñas Won
Mabel Rivera Nominated
Minor Male Film Performance Joan Dalmau Nominated
Male Newcomer Tamar Novas Won
Female Newcomer Belén Rueda Won
ADIRCAE Awards Best Performance in a Leading Role Javier Bardem Won
Argentine Film Critics Association Awards[6] Best Foreign Film, Spanish Language Won
Ariel Awards[7] Best Ibero-American Film Alejandro Amenábar Nominated
Awards Circuit Community Awards Best Foreign Language Film Nominated
Bangkok International Film Festival[8] Best Film Alejandro Amenábar Won
Best Actor Javier Bardem Won
BBC Four World Cinema Awards BBC Four World Cinema Award Nominated
Belgian Film Critics Association Awards[9] Grand Prix Alejandro Amenábar Nominated
Butaca Awards Best Catalan Film Actor Joan Dalmau Nominated
Camerimage[10] Golden Frog Javier Aguirresarobe Nominated
Canadian Network of Makeup Artists Awards Best International Make-Up for a Feature Film Jo Allen Won
César Awards Best Foreign Film Alejandro Amenábar Nominated
Cinema Brazil Grand Prize Best Foreign Language Film Nominated
Cinema Writers Circle Awards Best Film Nominated
Best Director Alejandro Amenábar Nominated
Best Actor Javier Bardem Won
Best Supporting Actor Celso Bugallo Nominated
Best Supporting Actress Lola Dueñas Won
Mabel Rivera Nominated
Best Screenplay – Original Alejandro Amenábar and Mateo Gil Nominated
Best Cinematography Javier Aguirresarobe Won
Best Editing Alejandro Amenábar Nominated
Best Score Nominated
Best New Artist Belén Rueda Won
CinEuphoria Awards Top Films of the Decade – International Competition Alejandro Amenábar Won
Cinéfest Sudbury International Film Festival Audience Choice Award Won
Critics' Choice Movie Awards[11] Best Foreign Language Film Won
Best Actor Javier Bardem Nominated
David di Donatello Awards[12] Best European Film Alejandro Amenábar Won
European Film Awards[13] European Film Alejandro Amenábar and Fernando Bovaira Nominated
European Director Alejandro Amenábar Won
European Actor Javier Bardem Won
European Screenwriter Alejandro Amenábar and Mateo Gil Nominated
European Cinematographer Javier Aguirresarobe Nominated
Film Critics Circle of Australia Awards Best Foreign Language Film Won
Forqué Awards[14] Best Film Won
Fotogramas de Plata Best Spanish Film Alejandro Amenábar Won
Best Movie Actor Javier Bardem Won
Best Movie Actress Belén Rueda Won
Gold Derby Awards[15] Best Foreign Language Film Nominated
Golden Globe Awards[16] Best Foreign Language Film Won
Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama Javier Bardem Nominated
Goya Awards[17] Best Film Won
Best Director Alejandro Amenábar Won
Best Actor Javier Bardem Won
Best Actress Lola Dueñas Won
Best Supporting Actor Celso Bugallo Won
Best Supporting Actress Mabel Rivera Won
Best Original Screenplay Alejandro Amenábar and Mateo Gil Won
Best New Actor Tamar Novas Won
Best New Actress Belén Rueda Won
Best Art Direction Benjamín Fernández Nominated
Best Cinematography Javier Aguirresarobe Won
Best Makeup and Hairstyles Jo Allen, Mara Collazo, Manolo García and Ana López Puigcerver Won
Best Original Score Alejandro Amenábar Won
Best Production Direction Emiliano Otegui Won
Best Sound Ricardo Steinberg, Alfonso Raposo, Juan Ferro and María Steinberg Won
Guild of German Art House Cinemas Awards Best Foreign Film Alejandro Amenábar Won
Hollywood Film Awards Hollywood European Award Won
Independent Spirit Awards[18] Best Foreign Language Film Won
Italian Online Movie Awards Best Actor Javier Bardem Nominated
Best Makeup Nominated
Latin ACE Awards Cinema – Best Film Won
Cinema – Best Director Alejandro Amenábar Nominated
Cinema – Best Actor Javier Bardem Nominated
Cinema – Best Actress Belén Rueda Nominated
Cinema – Best Supporting Actor Celso Bugallo Nominated
Cinema – Best Supporting Actress Lola Dueñas Won
Mabel Rivera Nominated
London Film Critics Circle Awards Foreign Language Film of the Year Nominated
Nantes Spanish Film Festival Audience Award Alejandro Amenábar Won
National Board of Review Awards[19] Top Foreign Films Won
Best Foreign Language Film Won
Ondas Awards[20] Cinemanía Award Alejandro Amenábar Won
Palm Springs International Film Festival Best Narrative Feature Won
Russian National Movie Awards[21] Best Independent Movie Nominated
San Diego Film Critics Society Awards Best Foreign Language Film Won
Sant Jordi Awards Best Film Alejandro Amenábar Won
Best Spanish Film Won
Best Spanish Actor Javier Bardem Won
Best Spanish Actress Mabel Rivera Won
Satellite Awards[22] Best Foreign Language Film Won
Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama Javier Bardem Nominated
SESC Film Festival Best Foreign Actor Won
Sofia International Film Festival Audience Award Alejandro Amenábar Won
Audience Award 'Silver Sea-Gull' Won
Spanish Music Awards Best Score Won
Turia Awards Best Spanish Film Won
Turkish Film Critics Association Awards Best Foreign Film 9th Place
Utah Film Critics Association Awards[23] Best Foreign Language Film Won
Venice International Film Festival[24] Golden Lion Alejandro Amenábar Nominated
Grand Jury Prize Won
Best International Film Won
Best Actor Javier Bardem Won
World Soundtrack Awards[25] Best Original Score of the Year Alejandro Amenábar Nominated
Yoga Awards Worst Spanish Score Won

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c "Film #22515: Mar adentro". Lumiere. Retrieved 17 July 2021.
  2. ^ "The Sea Inside". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved 17 July 2021.
  3. ^ "The Sea Inside (2004)". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved 17 July 2021.
  4. ^ "The 77th Academy Awards (2005) Nominees and Winners". Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS). Archived from the original on January 1, 2016. Retrieved January 25, 2015.
  5. ^ Newcott, Bill (March 2006). "Movies for Grownups Awards 2006". aarp.org.
  6. ^ "2006 Argentine Film Critics Association Awards". Mubi. Retrieved January 22, 2022.
  7. ^ "2006 Ariel Awards". Mubi. Retrieved January 22, 2022.
  8. ^ "2005 Bangkok International Film Festival". Mubi. Retrieved January 22, 2022.
  9. ^ "Kim Ki-duk, Grand Prix de l'UCC". La Libre Belgique (in French). January 9, 2006. Retrieved October 26, 2012.
  10. ^ "Camerimage 2004". Camerimage. Retrieved January 22, 2022.
  11. ^ "The BFCA Critics' Choice Awards :: 2004". Broadcast Film Critics Association. Archived from the original on July 19, 2012. Retrieved June 23, 2011.
  12. ^ "2005 David di Donatello Awards". Mubi. Retrieved January 22, 2022.
  13. ^ "2004 European Film Awards". European Film Awards. Retrieved January 22, 2022.
  14. ^ ""Mar adentro" gana el premio José María Forqué". ABC. 28 April 2005.
  15. ^ "2004 Gold Derby Film Awards". Gold Derby. 7 March 2016. Retrieved April 20, 2021.
  16. ^ "The Sea Inside – Golden Globes". HFPA. Retrieved July 5, 2021.
  17. ^ "Estos son los premios de los PREMIOS GOYA 2005". Premios Goya (in Spanish). Retrieved October 13, 2020.
  18. ^ "36 Years of Nominees and Winners" (PDF). Independent Spirit Awards. Retrieved August 13, 2021.
  19. ^ "2004 Award Winners". National Board of Review. Retrieved July 5, 2021.
  20. ^ "2004 Ondas Awards". Ondas Awards. Retrieved January 23, 2022.
  21. ^ "2006 Georges Winners". Russian National Movie Awards. Retrieved January 23, 2022.
  22. ^ "International Press Academy website – 2005 9th Annual SATELLITE Awards". Archived from the original on 2 February 2008.
  23. ^ "2004 Utah Film Critics Association Awards". utahfilmcritics.com. Retrieved May 15, 2021.
  24. ^ "Official Awards of the 61st Venice Film Festival". labiennale.org. Archived from the original on 15 September 2004. Retrieved 4 June 2018.
  25. ^ "World Soundtrack Awards". World Soundtrack Awards. Retrieved December 18, 2021.
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