Emotive drama about an unfortunate family with engaging interpretation , breathtaking cinematography and acceptable direction . This Spanish picture is an enjoyable story with an interesting characterizing about a few characters , tragic drama and thought-provoking events . That picture caught the attention of the Spanish media and spectators because of its shocking visual style and the crude scenario . It deals with an extremely sensitive little girl named Ami (Laura Vaquero) . She is a 6 year old girl who lives with her father named Gabriel (Fernando Valverde) , mother and grandfather (Txema Blasco) . Her mother, Carmen (Silvia Munt) , bears the obsession of giving a son to her husband . When finally Carmen gets pregnant, the relation between mother and daughter becomes a tragic one, driving the family to an inevitable tragedy .
This interesting but depressing film contains human drama , passion , emotion , tragical events , complemented with a colorful cinematography and sensitive musical score . These elements provide the setting for this piece of dramatic deeds , giving it its own special quality and ambient ; making a strong description of a drama inside a problematic family . After two years of writing along with his brother Eduardo , Ulloa , helped by filmmaker Fernando Trueba , produced and directed his first long movie "Alas De Mariposa" . This film along with ¨La Madre Muerta¨ forms a splendid diptych in which stands out its darkness , gloomy familiar environment and deep drama , both of them were shot in Vitoria ; however his third film ¨Airbag¨ disappointed some of his longtime buffs who preferred the obscurity of his first movies . ¨Butterfly wings¨ was released in the Festival of Cine of San Sebastian it won the first prize and subsequently won awards in many international festivals . Later came 3 Goyas of the Spanish academy such as best first movie , actress and original screenplay . Top-notch protagonist trio , Fernando Valverde-Silvia Munt-Susana Garcia , all of them give fine acting . The storyline relies heavily on the continued relationship among them but it doesn't make boring , however the film is slow moving . The little girl named Laura Vaquero is marvelous and charming with her sweet and enjoyable countenance . Good support cast formed by a plethora of notorious Spanish actors such as Txema Blasco as the grandfather and brief cameo by Karra Elejalde as a neighbour . Colorful and evocative cinematography by Aitor Mantxola , filmed on location in Vitoria , Pais Vasco , where the same director was born and lives . Emotive as well as thrilling musical score by Bingen Mendizabal .
Juanma Bajo Ulloa is a good but little prolific filmmaker . In 1989 he filmed his first movie in 35 mm , "The kingdom of Victor" that won the Goya of the Spanish academy to the best short movie . His first long film was the successful ¨Butterfly wings¨ that achieved numerous national and international prizes . In 1993, he realized his second picture , considered to be his best by many of his aficionados , "La Madre Muerta" that won prizes in several Festivals like Venice and Montreal . In 1996, his third movie , "Airbag" , an action road-movie , became the biggest Spanish box-office hit of all time , being a real international success . However this success , he has been unable to make any other movie in the last 8 years . He attempted to adapt the Spanish comic hero "Capitán Trueno" but the producers turned him down , and being finally realized by Antonio Hernandez . Others projects couldn't be financed due to creative differences with producers. In 2004 he filmed in secret, and with his own money, his fourth movie, "Fragil", that will be released in 2005 but was a commercial flop .
