‘Saturn Return’: Spain’s Best International Feature Oscar contender holds crowd-pleasing screening and musical performance in LA
With 85 films vying for just five slots in this years Best International Feature category at the Oscars, it can be tough to stand out from the pack. Spain unleashed a secret weapon, sending “Saturn Return” star Daniel Ibáñez to perform three songs following a screening at the Crescent Theater in Los Angeles Tuesday night. He was in attendance with co-director and co-writer Isaki Lacuesta, who presented his film to an enthusiastic audience.
“This film is a mixture between the facts…and fantasy,” Lacuesta said of his movie about the Spanish indie rock group Los Planetas‘ struggles while creating their third album. “All of the music is played live. There’s no playback. The actors area also [musicians].” See the trailer below.
Ibáñez stars as the lead singer alongside Cristalino as the guitarist, and Stéphanie Magnin as the bass player who recently left the band. The musical drama co-directed by Pol Rodríguez and co-written by Fernando Navarro takes place in 1998 Granada and New York: A rock band has to record their third LP, which will either propel them to stardom or fade into oblivion. Despite executives’ reservations, their idea is to have the recording take place in New York. But everything complicates, and the creative process turns into a hellish ordeal. A love triangle with all its consequences unfolds, band members desert, romantic relationships shatter, rehearsals become rampant with drugs and alcohol, and the unbearable pressure from the record label leads to endless fights and arguments only interrupted by fleeting moments of happiness. Meanwhile, unknowingly, they will be composing an album that will leave a mark on an entire generation.
“Saturn Return” was selected to represent Spain at the 2025 Oscars and won Best Film, Best Director and Best Editing at the Malaga Spanish Film Festival. Lacuesta, a two-time San Sebastian winner, portrays the complexity of creating a timeless work. The disruptive film features beautiful, almost dreamlike cinematography, innovative editing, and magnificent performances from emerging actors who are sure to make waves. All this serves a passionate story with an unforgettable soundtrack, crafted by the screenwriter of “Veronica” and “Below Zero.”
The film is dedicated to Lacuesta’s daughter, Luna, who died from leukemia before the film’s premiere. It is expected to be released in the United States this winter or early 2025.