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The Sea Inside
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Wikipedia article
'The Sea Inside' is a 2004 Spanish psychological drama film co-written and directed by Alejandro Amenbar, who also co-produced, scored and edited. It is based on the real-life story of Ramn 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
This is the life story of Spaniard Ramn Sampedro, who fought a 28-year campaign to win the right to end his own life with assisted suicide. The film explores Ramn'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.
Ramn, 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. Ramn's elder brother Jos does not believe he should have the right to die; both Manuela and her son, Javier, believe in his case.
Ramn's friend Gen, who works for a organisation 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 Ramn 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, Ramn maintains that he is spoken for by death.
Julia reads Ramn'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. Ramn loses a court case for his right to die. Rosa, in tears, appears at his house and Ramn 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 Ramn to want to live. Ramn 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 Ramn in writing his memoir whilst his family and friends discuss his right to die. Divided, they fight. But Ramn 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 Ramn.
Ramn 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 Ramn 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
Sampedro family
*Javier Bardem as Ramn Sampedro*Celso Bugallo as Jos Sampedro, Ramn's elder brother
*Mabel Rivera as Manuela, Jos's wife and Ramn's caregiver
*Tamar Novas as Javier Sampedro, Ramn's nephew
*Joan Dalmau as Joaqun Sampedro, Ramn and Jos's father
Ramon's friends
*Beln Rueda as Julia*Alberto Jimnez as Germn, Julia's husband
*Lola Dueas as Rosa
*Nicols Fernndez Luna as Cristian, Rosa's elder son
*Ral Lavisier as Samuel, her younger son
*Clara Segura as Gen
*Francesc Garrido as Marc, Gen's husband
Others
*Josep Maria Pou as Padre Francisco, a quadriplegic Catholic priest*Alberto Amarilla as Hermano Andrs
*Andrea Occhipinti as Santiago
*Federico Prez Rey as Conductor (Driver)
*Xos Manuel Olveira as Juez 1 (Judge 1)
*Csar Cambeiro as Juez 2
*Xos Manuel Esperanto as Periodista 1 (Reporter 1)
*Yolanda Muios as Periodista 2
*Adolfo Obregn as Ejecutivo (Executive)
*Jos Luis Rodrguez as Presentador (TV host)
*Julio Jordn as Encuadernador (Bookbinder)
*Juan Manuel Vidal as Amigo Ramn (Ramn's friend)
*Marta Larralde as Muchacha en la playa (Girl on beach)
*Jacob Ahlgren as himself (Baller)
Reception
Critical response
The film received positive reviews from critics. It currently holds an 84% rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 135 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." Metacritic assigned the film a weighted average score of 74 out of 100, based on 38 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".Accolades
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders"|-
! Award
! Category
! Nominee(s)
! Result
|-
| rowspan="2"| Academy Awards
| colspan="2"| Best Foreign Language Film
|
|-
| Best Makeup
| Jo Allen and Manolo Garca
|
|-
| AARP Movies for Grownups Awards
| colspan="2"| Best Foreign Film
|
|-
| rowspan="7"| Actors and Actresses Union Awards
| Leading Male Film Performance
| Javier Bardem
|
|-
| Secondary Male Film Performance
| Celso Bugallo
|
|-
| rowspan="2"| Secondary Female Film Performance
| Lola Dueas
|
|-
| Mabel Rivera
|
|-
| Minor Male Film Performance
| Joan Dalmau
|
|-
| Male Newcomer
| Tamar Novas
|
|-
| Female Newcomer
| Beln Rueda
|
|-
| ADIRCAE Awards
| Best Performance in a Leading Role
| Javier Bardem
|
|-
| Argentine Film Critics Association Awards
| colspan="2"| Best Foreign Film, Spanish Language
|
|-
| Ariel Awards
| Best Ibero-American Film
| Alejandro Amenbar
|
|-
| Awards Circuit Community Awards
| colspan="2"| Best Foreign Language Film
|
|-
| rowspan="2"| Bangkok International Film Festival
| Best Film
| Alejandro Amenbar
|
|-
| Best Actor
| Javier Bardem
|
|-
| BBC Four World Cinema Awards
| colspan="2"| BBC Four World Cinema Award
|
|-
| Belgian Film Critics Association Awards
| Grand Prix
| Alejandro Amenbar
|
|-
| Butaca Awards
| Best Catalan Film Actor
| Joan Dalmau
|
|-
| Camerimage
| Golden Frog
| Javier Aguirresarobe
|
|-
| Canadian Network of Makeup Artists Awards
| Best International Make-Up for a Feature Film
| Jo Allen
|
|-
| Csar Awards
| Best Foreign Film
| Alejandro Amenbar
|
|-
| Cinema Brazil Grand Prize
| colspan="2"| Best Foreign Language Film
|
|-
| rowspan="11"| Cinema Writers Circle Awards
| colspan="2"| Best Film
|
|-
| Best Director
| Alejandro Amenbar
|
|-
| Best Actor
| Javier Bardem
|
|-
| Best Supporting Actor
| Celso Bugallo
|
|-
| rowspan="2"| Best Supporting Actress
| Lola Dueas
|
|-
| Mabel Rivera
|
|-
| Best Screenplay Original
| Alejandro Amenbar and Mateo Gil
|
|-
| Best Cinematography
| Javier Aguirresarobe
|
|-
| Best Editing
| rowspan="2"| Alejandro Amenbar
|
|-
| Best Score
|
|-
| Best New Artist
| Beln Rueda
|
|-
| CinEuphoria Awards
| Top Films of the Decade International Competition
| rowspan="2"| Alejandro Amenbar
|
|-
| Cinfest Sudbury International Film Festival
| Audience Choice Award
|
|-
| rowspan="2"| Critics' Choice Movie Awards
| colspan="2"| Best Foreign Language Film
|
|-
| Best Actor
| Javier Bardem
|
|-
| David di Donatello Awards
| Best European Film
| Alejandro Amenbar
|
|-
| rowspan="5"| European Film Awards
| European Film
| Alejandro Amenbar and Fernando Bovaira
|
|-
| European Director
| Alejandro Amenbar
|
|-
| European Actor
| Javier Bardem
|
|-
| European Screenwriter
| Alejandro Amenbar and Mateo Gil
|
|-
| European Cinematographer
| Javier Aguirresarobe
|
|-
| Film Critics Circle of Australia Awards
| colspan="2"| Best Foreign Language Film
|
|-
| Forqu Awards
| colspan="2"| Best Film
|
|-
| rowspan="3"| Fotogramas de Plata
| Best Spanish Film
| Alejandro Amenbar
|
|-
| Best Movie Actor
| Javier Bardem
|
|-
| Best Movie Actress
| Beln Rueda
|
|-
| Gold Derby Awards
| colspan="2"| Best Foreign Language Film
|
|-
| rowspan="2"| Golden Globe Awards
| colspan="2"| Best Foreign Language Film
|
|-
| Best Actor in a Motion Picture Drama
| Javier Bardem
|
|-
| rowspan="15"| Goya Awards
| colspan="2"| Best Film
|
|-
| Best Director
| Alejandro Amenbar
|
|-
| Best Actor
| Javier Bardem
|
|-
| Best Actress
| Lola Dueas
|
|-
| Best Supporting Actor
| Celso Bugallo
|
|-
| Best Supporting Actress
| Mabel Rivera
|
|-
| Best Original Screenplay
| Alejandro Amenbar and Mateo Gil
|
|-
| Best New Actor
| Tamar Novas
|
|-
| Best New Actress
| Beln Rueda
|
|-
| Best Art Direction
| Benjamn Fernndez
|
|-
| Best Cinematography
| Javier Aguirresarobe
|
|-
| Best Makeup and Hairstyles
| Jo Allen, Mara Collazo, Manolo Garca and Ana Lpez Puigcerver
|
|-
| Best Original Score
| Alejandro Amenbar
|
|-
| Best Production Direction
| Emiliano Otegui
|
|-
| Best Sound
| Ricardo Steinberg, Alfonso Raposo, Juan Ferro and Mara Steinberg
|
|-
| Guild of German Art House Cinemas Awards
| Best Foreign Film
| rowspan="2"| Alejandro Amenbar
|
|-
| Hollywood Film Awards
| Hollywood European Award
|
|-
| Independent Spirit Awards
| colspan="2"| Best Foreign Language Film
|
|-
| rowspan="2"| Italian Online Movie Awards
| Best Actor
| Javier Bardem
|
|-
| colspan="2"| Best Makeup
|
|-
| rowspan="7"| Latin ACE Awards
| colspan="2"| Cinema Best Film
|
|-
| Cinema Best Director
| Alejandro Amenbar
|
|-
| Cinema Best Actor
| Javier Bardem
|
|-
| Cinema Best Actress
| Beln Rueda
|
|-
| Cinema Best Supporting Actor
| Celso Bugallo
|
|-
| rowspan="2"| Cinema Best Supporting Actress
| Lola Dueas
|
|-
| Mabel Rivera
|
|-
| London Film Critics Circle Awards
| colspan="2"| Foreign Language Film of the Year
|
|-
| Nantes Spanish Film Festival
| Audience Award
| Alejandro Amenbar
|
|-
| rowspan="2"| National Board of Review Awards
| colspan="2"| Top Foreign Films
|
|-
| colspan="2"| Best Foreign Language Film
|
|-
| Ondas Awards
| Cinemana Award
| rowspan="3"| Alejandro Amenbar
|
|-
| Palm Springs International Film Festival
| Best Narrative Feature
|
|-
| Russian National Movie Awards
| Best Independent Movie
|
|-
| San Diego Film Critics Society Awards
| colspan="2"| Best Foreign Language Film
|
|-
| rowspan="4"| Sant Jordi Awards
| Best Film
| rowspan="2"| Alejandro Amenbar
|
|-
| Best Spanish Film
|
|-
| Best Spanish Actor
| Javier Bardem
|
|-
| Best Spanish Actress
| Mabel Rivera
|
|-
| rowspan="2"| Satellite Awards
| colspan="2"| Best Foreign Language Film
|
|-
| Best Actor in a Motion Picture Drama
| rowspan="2"| Javier Bardem
|
|-
| SESC Film Festival
| Best Foreign Actor
|
|-
| rowspan="2"| Sofia International Film Festival
| Audience Award
| rowspan="4"| Alejandro Amenbar
|
|-
| Audience Award 'Silver Sea-Gull'
|
|-
| Spanish Music Awards
| Best Score
|
|-
| Turia Awards
| Best Spanish Film
|
|-
| Turkish Film Critics Association Awards
| colspan="2"| Best Foreign Film
|
|-
| Utah Film Critics Association Awards
| colspan="2"| Best Foreign Language Film
|
|-
| rowspan="4"| Venice International Film Festival
| Golden Lion
| rowspan="3"| Alejandro Amenbar
|
|-
| Grand Jury Prize
|
|-
| Best International Film
|
|-
| Best Actor
| Javier Bardem
|
|-
| World Soundtrack Awards
| Best Original Score of the Year
| rowspan="2"| Alejandro Amenbar
|
|-
| Yoga Awards
| Worst Spanish Score
|
|}
See also
* List of Spanish films of 2004
*'Whose Life Is It Anyway?' (1981)
References
Buy The Sea Inside now from Amazon
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