Filmax shoots 'A Head on the Wall' by Manuel Manrique

The director and screenwriter Manuel Manrique begins with Filmax the filming of his debut feature, 'A Head on the Wall', an adaptation of his acclaimed short film of the same name.

Co-production between A Head on the Wall, Kabiria Films (Madrid), Unheard of (Valencia), Bad Companies (Andalusia) and Sabina Films (Portugal), the film delves into the story of Rafael Jesús, a young bullfighter who, after the abolition of bullfighting in Spain, is forced to redefine his identity and his place in a changing and contradictory world. The film explores the clash between tradition and modernity through the story of Rafael Jesús, raising questions about identity, masculinity and belonging in a transforming Spain. The proposal reinforces a unique tone within current independent cinema and seeks to place the work of Manuel Manrique on the international map.

The protagonist is played by Nacho Sanchez (Manticore, Seventeen), winner of the Feroz Award for Best Actor in 2023 and nominated twice for the Goya Awards. He is accompanied in the main cast by Iria del Rio (The new years) and Miguel Bernardeau (To want).

The project is born from the short film a head on the wall, selected in 36 national festivals such as Seminci or Málaga and international festivals (Bifan) and awarded 25 awards in categories such as best short film, acting, photography, art direction, costumes and original music. Among them, the RTVE award for Best Male Performance for Nacho Sánchez stands out, awarded in the XXII Spanish Version/SGAE Short Film Contest.

The development of the feature film began in 2022 and has been part of reference laboratories and forums such as La Incubadora, Residencias de la Film Academy y Mallorca Talents Lab, in addition to having an international presence at the Cannes Festival, Locarno Festival and San Sebastián Festival.

With a script by Manrique himself along with Itziar Sanjuán-Sáenz de Urturi, the Filming will take place over six weeks on stages in Madrid, Ávila and Toledo.

With a degree in Film Direction from the ECAM and a degree in Psychology from the UAM, the short films that Manuel Manrique has directed have been seen on platforms such as Movistar+, RTVE or Filmin; in addition to prestigious national and international festivals such as Clermont Ferrand, Málaga, SEMINCI, Chicago Latino Film Festival or Bogoshorts, where he has received many awards, highlighting the Best Short Film Award at the Málaga Festival with his previous work 'A Nowhere' (2020).