El Bola ( 2000 ) ( Pellet ) [ Blu-Ray, Reg.A/B/C Import - Spain ]

Moving story of a friendship between two boys, where one of them is being tortured by his own father. The topic is and unfortunately will be still up-to-date. Sad to realise the reality of such cruelty and traumas for entire life. Worth watching though!

This movie starts almost as a documentarie, about the suburbian youth, but bit by bit while we follow two youngsters becoming friends we become involved in a world of child abuse. And as the parents of the boys friend we cant help, and you feel like you should, and you feel the anger growing when the whole situation gets to a climax. Its not a big american drama, no the film is very subtile,thats why it goes right into your heart.......and the cast is sublime, they are so naturel, so real, directed with so much empathy and finesse !

El Bola or `the pellet is the nickname given to young Pablo - he carries a ball bearing for good luck. He has a miserable home life where he is forced to help care for his incontinent and ageing grandmother, work in his fathers shop, his father is a vicious tyrant who beats him for any reason and is a control freak par excellence and his mother is indifferent. Across this ensemble is cast the shadow of his elder dead brother - whose place El Bola should be in - according to his father. Then one day a new boy enters the class - despite the initial rejection by the other boys, Bola sees something in him and starts a friendship. He then discovers a family who have many problems and despite the parents being separated they come across as balanced and loving both to each other and their cgildren. This is something Bola has not experienced before and the friendship blossoms. Then his father finds out and bans him from any further contact - the beatings increase in ferocity too and everything starts building for a denouement - but who will be the ultimate victim? This is an extremely well made film with an outstanding performance from Juan Jose Ballesta (`Bruc) as El Bola and a supporting cast that all put in fine performances. Director Achero Mañas has taken the difficult subject of parental abuse and tackled it in a believable and still upsetting way. For anyone who suffered at the hands of a parent this will be an uncomfortable watch. The embarrassment factor is one that I can still remember having had a father with similar inclinations, and this is all captured along with the hugely violent mood swings and the seemingly innocuous things that can trigger the violence from the father. It is hard to say I enjoyed this film for reasons as stated, but it has made a lasting impression and is well worth hunting down - it came out in 2000. It is in Spanish with good subtitles and a run time of an hour and a half - not an easy watch but ultimately a rewarding one.

Films thrive on parallel universes, and writer/director Achero Mañas El Bola takes full advantage of contrasting two fathers and their family lives through the eyes of their sons. Although the Spanish film won four Goya Awards in 2000 for Best Emerging Director, Best Emerging Actor, Best Screenplay, and Best Film, it was ignored by American theaters until now.. Although largely a heavy-handed indictment of parental failings and the indifference of Spanish social workers and legal system towards child abuse, the film retains ambiguities that make it well worth watching. Part of what makes the film compelling are the first rate performances by its young cast. Pablo aka El Bola (Juan José Ballesta) is a twelve year old living in Madrid. His life radically changes when he meets Alfredo (Pablo Galán) a new boy who joins his class. What follows is a comparison of two parallel family situations that remain ambiguous enough to keep the careful viewer wondering what exactly is going on in the families and the motivation for Pablos father Marianos (Manuel Morón) extreme violence towards his young son. In contrast is the homelife of Alfredo, a bohemian mix of couples that are willing to show their child the love and affection that is missing in Pablos life.Alfredos family atmosphere is completely foreign to Pablo--a much more relaxed, loving, and accepting bohemian lifestyle that appeals greatly to the boy. Exactly what the relationships are between the adults in Alfredos family remain unstated--a gay subtext may or may not exist, as the family certainly are friends with many homosexuals who have died from AIDS. Alfredos father, José (Alberto Jiménez), makes a living as a tattoo artist and anchors the extended family. The filmmaker leaves his sexuality ambiguous, which is irrelevant to the two boys--hes a levelheaded, caring father who has their best interests at heart. El Bola is at its heart a story of friendship between two young boys and the devestating effects of parental abuse. While the film is not always easy to watch it is very well made and well worth a viewing if not only for the story presented but for the questions it raises. Film Movement chose this film as its debut installment and presents the film with a making of documentary and the short film More by Mark Osborne.

Pablo (Juan Jose Ballesta), known by his friends as Pellet, is ruled by a tyrannical and abusive father. Pellet pales as he tries to grow up under the shadow of a dead brother, but remains a deeply empathetic and sensitive child. When classmates pick on the new kid, Alfredo (Pablo Galan), Pellet befriends him and is consequently introduced to a gentle and fun version of family life centered around Alfredos sweet father Jose. You dont learn the extent of Pellets abuse until the last few seconds of the film and youre left wondering how anyone who endured such depravity could have been so sweet. This film won more than 30 international awards, including four Spanish Goyas, all of them well-deserved. At times I completely forgot I was watching a movie and that the actors were acting. Engrossing and tender. If you like this film, Id also recommend the films

Child abuse, as incidents increase each year, is uncomforable for parents, which is why the topic is rarely filmed. It doesnt provide a feel-good experience, even with a happy ending, and most certainly it is not box office. With El Bola in 2000, some intrepid Spanish filmmakers took it on and didnt flinch. Their searing and sensitive low-budget movie, which indeed is uncomfortable to watch, won more than 30 top international awards, including four Goyas (Spains Academy Award.) Its DVD release needs to be seen. The scenes of physical, emotional and verbal abuse of a 12-year-old boy by his father, while his enabling wife protests feebly, are unsparing. The young victim is befriended by a classmate whose parents provide a caring contrast and who discover the abuse. The boy is rescued, yet his shocking monologue at the end will leave you uneasy long after the credits roll. You come to realize that undetected child abuse is so common that it is occurring even as you watch. The cast and crew are flawless and their little movie is unbearably moving.

I had been looking for this movie for a few months and I could not find it in France. Amazon.com gave me the opportunity to purchase it. If you like movies which deal with social relationship and especially relations between a father and a son who cannot understand each other, so I give you a piece of advice : get it on Amazon.com. A friend from France

Brilliant, Heartbreaking, superb acting of the 2 kids and all the other members of the cast, Stunning, touching story and wonderful actors,this movie should be an Oscar awards winner. its very well made, each and every character shows the psychological complexity of the human being, the kids think and act somethimes like adults and the adults like kids or animals, it lets you feel what a real family and a loving father is, but also lets you perceive and understand what Domestic violence,child abuse and sickness means in many countries and places around the world or in your own next doors neighbors. Beautifully draws the real meaning of friendship, love and family values but also keeps you at the edge of the seat in pain and tears by seeing that abusive cruel sick father. Superb!

The performances of the two central boys, and the cast around them ring absolutely true to my understanding of what happens in the situation El Bola finds himself in, and I predict that both young actors will go far. Many will ask why the mother didnt intervene, and will say that no mother in real life would stand by; sadly this film is true to life. The mother would have been ground down for years, to the point of being impotent to do anything. For the first half, this film has a nihilistic feel of futility to it. It is heart-breaking, but also life-affirming. The film is unrated in America, but the BBFC (British Board of Film Classification) Rating, legally required for movies released in Britain, is 15. That means it is rated unsuitable for anyone below the age of 15.

This is Achero Mañas first film and is really excellent! It won 4 Goyas awards including best picture and best emerging director. Is a very interesting stoy about fathers and sons and that no always what you see is what is true. Really an excellent buy!