The Club (Spanish: El Club) is a 2015 Chilean drama film directed, co-produced and co-written by Pablo Larraín. It was screened in the main competition of the 65th Berlin International Film Festival[3] where it won the Jury Grand Prix.[4] It was selected as the Chilean entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 88th Academy Awards but it was not nominated.[5]
| The Club | |
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Theatrical release poster
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| Directed by | Pablo Larraín |
| Written by |
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| Produced by |
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| Starring |
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| Cinematography | Sergio Armstrong |
| Edited by | Sebastián Sepúlveda |
| Music by | Carlos Cabezas |
Release dates |
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Running time | 97 minutes[1] |
| Country | Chile |
| Language | Spanish |
| Box office | $483,222[2] |
Four retired Catholic priests share a secluded house on the outskirts of a small Chilean beach town under the supervision of a vigilant female caretaker who used to be a nun. The four men are there to discreetly purge their alleged sins and crimes, including child abuse, baby-snatching for adoptions, and whistleblowing. They are not permitted to mingle with the townsfolk and are only allowed out during early morning and late night. Their only hobby is breeding a racing dog and entering competitions. Their routine changes when a new priest arrives, and a victim of his child abuse follows him, leading the priest to commit suicide. Subsequently, a new spiritual director arrives, disrupting their lives and routine.
The film was well received, with The Guardian giving it five stars and said Pablo Larraín was "at his most masterful".[6] Variety called it "an original and brilliantly acted chamber drama in which Larrain’s fiercely political voice comes through as loud and clear as ever".[7]
OnRotten Tomatoes, the film has an 88% score based on 89 reviews, with an average rating of 7.86/10. The site's consensus states: "The Club finds director Pablo Larraín continuing to pose difficult questions while exploring weighty themes -- and getting the most out of a talented cast."[8] Metacritic reports a 73 out of 100 score based on 26 reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[9]
| Year | Award | Category | Recipient | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | 65th Berlin International Film Festival | Golden Bear | Pablo Larraín | Nominated | [10] |
| Silver Bear Grand Jury Prize | Won | ||||
| 73rd Golden Globe Awards | Best Foreign Language Film | The Club | Nominated | [11] | |
| 2016 | Apolo Awards | Best Film | The Club | Nominated | [12][13] |
| Best Director | Pablo Larraín | Won | |||
| Best Original Screenplay | Guillermo Calderón, Pablo Larraín and Daniel Villalobos | Nominated | |||
| Best Editing | Sebastián Sepúlveda | Nominated | |||
| Best Sound | Miguel Hormazábal, Roberto Zuñiga, Ivo Moraga, Salomé Román and Mauricio Molina | Nominated | |||
| Best Supporting Actor | Roberto Farías | Won | |||
| Alfredo Castro | Nominated | ||||
| Best Ensemble Cast | Roberto Farías, Antonia Zegers, Alfredo Castro, Alejandro Goic, Alejandro Sieveking, Jaime Vadell and Marcelo Alonso | Nominated |
