''Things That Make Living Worthwhile'' ( es, Cosas que hacen que la vida valga la pena, links=no) is a 2004 Spanish

romantic Romantic may refer to: Genres and eras * The Romantic era, an artistic, literary, musical and intellectual movement of the 18th and 19th centuries ** Romantic music, of that era ** Romantic poetry, of that era ** Romanticism in science, of that e ...

comedy-drama film directed by

Manuel Gómez Pereira Manuel Gómez Pereira (born 8 December 1958 in Madrid) is a Spanish screenwriter and film director of comedies. His 1999 film '' Between Your Legs'' was entered into the 49th Berlin International Film Festival. He is the nephew of the film dire ...

, starring

Ana Belén María del Pilar Cuesta Acosta (born 27 May 1951, Madrid), known professionally as Ana Belén, is a Spanish actress and singer. Life/career Born in 1951, Ana Belén is the oldest of three children. Her father was a cook in Hotel Palace, and ...

and

Eduard Fernández Eduard Fernández Serrano (born 25 August 1964) is a Spanish screen and stage actor. He is the recipient of numerous accolades, including three Goya Awards and four Gaudí Awards. Biography Eduard Fernández was born in Barcelona on 25 August ...

Plot

The plot features the relationship between Hortensia, a divorced woman working as a civil officer at the INEM, and Jorge, an also divorced unemployed man and recovering alcoholic.

Cast

Production

The film was directed by

whereas the screenplay was penned by

Joaquín Oristrell Joaquín Oristrell Ventura (born 15 September 1953) is a Spanish film director and screenwriter. Biography Born in Barcelona on 15 September 1953, he is the cousin of actress Yolanda Ventura and nephew of trumpeter . He has written scripts ...

, Yolanda García Serrano, and

Luis Piedrahita Luis Piedrahita Cuesta (born 1977) is a Spanish stand-up comedian, magician, script writer, broadcaster and author. He is known as "El Rey de las Cosas Pequeñas" ("The King of Small Things"), due to his monologues in which he critiques the lack o ...

. It was produced by BocaBoca Producciones with the participation of

TVE TVE may stand for: Television * Televisión Española, a Spanish state-owned public-service television broadcaster ** TVE HD, a high-definition channel run by Televisión Española * Televisão Educativa, a defunct Brazilian TV network * TV Eduk ...

and

Canal+ Canals or artificial waterways are waterways or engineered channels built for drainage management (e.g. flood control and irrigation) or for conveyancing water transport vehicles (e.g. water taxi). They carry free, calm surface flow unde ...

Release

The film screened at the 7th Málaga Spanish Film Festival (FMCE) in 2004. Distributed by Columbia Tristar Spain, the film was theatrically released in Spain on 26 November 2004.

Reception

Jonathan Holland of ''

Variety Variety may refer to: Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats * Variety (radio) * Variety show, in theater and television Films * ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont * ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...

'' deemed the film be "an enjoyable, adult-oriented comedy romancer beefed up by a thought-provoking darker side". Mirito Torreiro of ''

Fotogramas ''Fotogramas'' is Spanish digital and print film magazine which has been in circulation since 1946. It is one of the early film magazines in Spain. History Founded in Barcelona, it was first published on 15 November 1946 by Antonio Nadal-Rodó a ...

'' gave it 4 out of 5 stars highlighting the chemistry between the leads to be the best about the film.

Accolades

, - , align = "center" , 2004 , , 7th Málaga Spanish Film Festival , , colspan = "2" , Public Choice Award , , , , , - , align = "center" rowspan = "4" , 2005 , , rowspan = "2" ,

19th Goya Awards The 19th Goya Awards took place in Madrid, Spain on 30 January 2005. ''The Sea Inside'' was nominated for 15 awards and won 14, including the four regular acting awards (Bardem, Bugallo, Dueñas and Rivera) and the two acting awards for Best New ...

, ,

Best Actor Best Actor is the name of an award which is presented by various film, television and theatre organizations, festivals, and people's awards to leading actors in a film, television series, television film or play. The term most often refers to th ...

, , Eduard Fernández , , , , rowspan = "2" , , - ,

Best Actress Best Actress is the name of an award which is presented by various film, television and theatre organisations, festivals, and people's awards to leading actresses in a film, television series, television film or play. The first Best Actress awar ...

, , Ana Belén , , , - , rowspan = "2" , 14th Actors and Actresses Union Awards , , Best Film Actor in a Leading Role , , Eduard Fernández , , , , rowspan = "2" , , - , Best Film Actress in a Leading Role , , Ana Belén , ,

References

External links

*
''Things That Make Living Worthwhile''
at ICAA's ''Catálogo de Cinespañol'' {{authority control 2004 films 2004 romantic comedy-drama films 2000s Spanish-language films BocaBoca Producciones films Films shot in Madrid Spanish romantic comedy-drama films 2000s Spanish films