EVERYBODY KNOWS/ TODOS LO SABEN

Spain, 2018, 133 minutes, Colour.
Penelope Cruz, Javier Bardem, Ricardo Darin, Eduard Fernandez, Barbara Lennie, Irma Cuesta.
Directed by Asghar Fahradi.

Iranian director, Asghar Fahradi, has emerged as a significant international director. He has won the Oscar twice for his films, The Separation and The Salesman. He also directed, in France, the powerful drama, The Past.

He has now gone to Spain for a drama, a story of family and tensions, of past secrets – which sometimes belie the title of the film, Everybody Knows. The setting is a town outside Madrid, shown in great detail, homes, church, the streets, the countryside and the vineyards. The director has been able to recreate the atmosphere of Spain.

He also has the advantage of a very strong cast, especially with Penelope Cruz in the lead, supported by Javier Bardem and Argentinian actor, Ricardo Darin.

Laura (Penelope Cruz) arrives from Argentina in her home town after an absence of some years. She is accompanied by her daughter. Her husband (Ricardo Darin) has had to stay at home for business reasons. The situation is a family wedding and family reunion. The owner of the vineyard, Paco (Javier Bardem) is married, seems very offhand with Laura.

While the screenplay devotes quite an amount of time to the marriage ceremony and the celebrations afterwards, it moves into melodrama with the abduction of Laura’s daughter. The many members of the family become involved in the search as do the police. It seems to be an outside job – but suspicions narrow to somebody in the family. Gradually, lies revealed, greed exposed…

However, there is also the drama about the past, the reason for Laura’s leaving the town, her relationship with Paco, her marriage and bringing up her family in Argentina. There are some revelations which shock Paco and others, especially when the husband arrives from Argentina, deeply upset, and the issue is whether it is better to keep secrets or to have them revealed.

While not so intense as Fahradi’s previous films, this is nevertheless a strong drama, significant issues, fine performances.

1. The title? The reference to the relationship between Laura and Paco? The consequences?

2. The Spanish settings, the town, outside Madrid, homes, shops, the church, the surrounding countryside, the vineyards? The musical score and atmosphere?

3. The work of the director, in Iran, Oscars, in France, now in Spain? Local stories – but universal characters and situations? His ability to create the local atmosphere?

4. The opening with the Church tower, the bells, Irene and Felipe going up there, the bell ringing?

5. The introduction to Laura, arriving with her children from Argentina, the contact with her husband? Arrival for the wedding? Her being picked up, her family, her father and her thinking he was looking old, her sister and brother-in-law, and niece and the baby, the fiancés and the preparation for the marriage? The filling in of the back story, the relationship with Paco, her leaving for Argentina, her marriage, the children?

6. Paco, his vineyard, his relationship with his wife, with the workers, his enthusiasms, the crops and the harvest? His personality, his love for his wife, her being a strong personality? Meeting Laura again? His driving – and seeing Irene on the bike with his nephew?

7. The preparation for the wedding, all the details? The wedding itself, in the church, the congregation, the couple, the priest, the little girl causing the noise, the bell rining, the priest adding his appeal for finances? The celebration during the night, music, dancing, the family enjoyment, the old father, conversation? Irene and her being tired, going to her room?

8. The abduction theme? The initial showing of a gloved hand cutting out newspaper items? Their being left on the bed after Irene being taken? The parallel with the earlier story of abduction – the interview with the mother, the sad consequences? The financial demands?

9. Summoning Alejandro? His arrival from Argentina? His concern, his God language? The revelation that he was bankrupt? His later explaining his alcoholism, the encounter with Laura, her saving him? The agreement about her pregnancy, not having an abortion, raising Irene as his own? The marriage, the little boy?

10. Laura, the reaction to Irene’s disappearance, grief? Paco and Alejandro and their going in search? The discussions with the family?

11. Laura, Paco, the truth, his reaction? Her appeal for money, for him to sell his land (and the background of his buying it cheaply from the family but developing it)? His acting on this and selling it? His wife, his telling her, her reaction, her suspicions of the family?

12. Paco and Alejandro, the conversation, memories of the past, Paco taking Laura to the airport, the sexual encounter, her pregnancy?

13. The contact with the authorities, advice about the case, payment?

14. The audience learning that it was Laura’s niece, her story about the husband in Germany and the separation, her going during the night to him and his accomplice, her change of heart, concern, wanting Irene released? Her mother seeing the boots, the wet trousers, suspicions?

15. Paco, the contact, driving the car, on the bridge, the noise in the water, return to the car, the money gone, Irene in the back seat, his care for her? Her parents driving, taking her, reviving her? The impact on each of them? Laura, affection, thanking Paco?

16. The family returning to Argentina, the farewells? Paco and his wife? The future?

17. The mother, her husband, sitting down with him – and the film ending indicating that she would reveal the truth? Consequences?