Three penniless fishermen set themselves a goal: to organize the wedding of one of them. This is the premise from which Tuna and chocolatethe funny and endearing comedy with which the comedian and actor Pablo Carbonell He made his directorial debut in 2004. The film takes place in a small andalusian fishing villagea place that is portrayed with certain doses of realism and social drama, but loaded with comedy and hope.
Next to Maria BarrancoCarbonell, who also appears in front of the cameras as the protagonist of the story, gets into the skin of a fisherman who tries to cope as best he can with the crisis that the Cadiz coast is experiencing along with his two friends, El Perra and El Sheriff. Everything gets complicated when Manolín, the protagonist’s son, arrives home one day with one more problem: he wants to make his First Communion. His parents, Manuel and María, are not married and the child has not been baptized. Thus, in response to Manolín’s almost mystical will, his parents are forced to put some order in his life. But order costs money.
A luminous comedy that surprised critics
Celebrated with surprise by critics, Tuna with chocolate received numerous accolades and Carbonell ended up winning the Silver Biznaga for Best Actor at the Malaga Film FestivalThe film is based on comedy, but it is not afraid to show the daily life, with its virtues and problems, of a coastal town in Cadiz where they arrive Boats full of immigrants, work is scarce and those who can (and shouldn’t) gamble their money at the Bingo. Carbonell brilliantly reflects its people with a costumbrismo bias that he manages to impregnate with the daily life and warmth of the area. Some critics even went so far as to point out a certain nod to Italian neorealismAnd all this without missing a hint of humor, with really funny scenes that will make more than one person burst out laughing.
Pablo Carbonel in ‘Tuna with Chocolate’
The idea came from a bossa-nova
When Pablo Carbonell decided to launch himself into directing in 2004, he still had a few months to go before he became popular as a reporter for Caiga Quien Caiga, but he already had a good friendship with the Gran WyomingIt was precisely while he was with him that the idea for this film arose. They were both travelling by car when his friend put on a famous bossa-nova song which said: “Barbate…, tuna and chocolate.”. At that moment it occurred to him to mix such soft music with very harsh black and white images of the “lift of the tuna” in Almadraba. An area of Cadiz where the actor and director takes refuge when he needs to sunbathe and relax.
Maria Barranco and Pablo Carbonell in ‘Tuna and Chocolate’
With a splendid soundtrack
The music, signed by Nono Garciaa music full of multiracial sounds with Andalusian and Flamenco hallmarks that are mixed with Jazz, Blues, Bossa, Boleros, Baiao and African Echoes. It is the first time that this original musician from Barbate has composed for a film produced in Spain. The soundtrack is completed with songs from John Dog Fish Talk, Javier Ruibal Tuna In Paradise, Martyrs of the Compass Let us pray, The Calis Freedom For you, Garden City Tuna and Seaweed y Social security I Have No Heartamong others.
A script written in just 12 days
Inspired by the music, Carbonell had his story in just 12 days. He contacted the Seville production company Maestranza Films, who signed a contract as soon as they read the script. After that, he got to work, taking six weeks to complete. Zahara de los Atunes. Many “natives with phrases” collaborated, as Carbonell said, who contributed the Cadiz slang. In addition, a group of actors who were friends and acquaintances such as Maria Barrancowho plays his wife; a Peter Reyes shiny and with a toupee due to the script’s requirements; and Antonio Dechentwho plays the character who could create the most susceptibilities in the story since he mistreats a Moroccan in order to steal his drugs.
Tuna and Chocolate enters the Play catalogue, where you can also find new titles such as City of LiesChampions, AstronautsThe Duke, Missing
