Altamira (film)

{{Infobox film

| name = Finding Altamira

| image = Finding Altamira.jpg

| caption = Theatrical release poster

| director = Hugh Hudson

| producer = Lucrecia Botin
Álvaro Longoria
Andy Paterson

| screenplay = José Luis López-Linares
Olivia Hetreed

| based_on =

| starring = Antonio Banderas
Golshifteh Farahani
Allegra Allen
Clement Sibony
Rupert Everett

| music = Mark Knopfler, Evelyn Glennie

| cinematography = José Luis Alcaine

| editing = Pia Di Ciaula

| distributor = Eagle Films
Samuel Goldwyn Films

| released = {{Film date|2016|04|01|Spain|df=yes}}

| runtime = 97 minutes

| country = Spain

| language = English / Spanish

| budget =

| gross =

}}

Finding Altamira (released as Altamira in Spain) is a 2016 Spanish biographical drama film starring Antonio Banderas, and directed by Hugh Hudson. It is Hudson's first fiction film since I Dreamed of Africa in 2000,{{cite journal |first=Phil |last=De Semlyen |url=http://www.empireonline.com/movies/news/first-look-antonio-banderas-altamira/ |title=First Look At Antonio Banderas In Altamira |journal=Empire Online |date=9 October 2015 |access-date=10 December 2016}} and his final film before his death in 2023.{{cite news | url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2023/02/10/chariots-fire-director-hugh-hudson-dies-aged-86/ | publisher=The Daily Telegraph | access-date=10 February 2023 | date=10 February 2023 | title=Chariots of Fire director Hugh Hudson dies aged 86|url-access = subscription}}

Synopsis

The film chronicles the groundbreaking discovery of stone age cave paintings in the Cave of Altamira in Cantabria, Spain, and the subsequent controversy by leading religious and scientific figures of the day.

Cast

{{columnslist|

Antonio Banderas as Marcelino Sanz de Sautuola y de la Pedrueca
Golshifteh Farahani as Conchita
Allegra Allen as María Sautuola
Irene Escolar as older María
Clément Sibony as Émile Cartailhac
Henry Goodman as De Los Ríos
Pierre Niney as Paul Ratier
Rupert Everett as Monsignor
Javivi as Harlé
Nicholas Farrell as Vilanova
Lluís Soler as Mero
Tábata Cerezo as Pasi
Chantal Garsan as the soprano
Concha Hidalgo as the marchioness
Katie Paterson as Carolina
Maryam d'Abo as Elena
José Luis Esteban as padre Tomás
Gonzalo Cunill as Cubillas
Ximena Vera as the sister
Kike Guaza as king Alfonso XII
Tristán Ulloa as Abbé Breuil
Carlos Camino as a boy
Javier Laorden as the editor
Dylan Moreno as the mayor

}}

Production

It was shot in Santillana del Mar, Comillas, Puente San Miguel and Santander at the end of 2014.{{cite news |author=Europa Press |author-link=Europa Press (news agency) |date=22 January 2016 |url=http://www.eldiario.es/norte/cantabria/ultima-hora/Altamira-Santander-asistencia-Antonio-Banderas_0_476302807.html |title='Altamira' se estrenará en abril en Santander con asistencia de Antonio Banderas |newspaper=El Diario |language=es |location=Madrid}}

Soundtrack

The music was composed by guitarist Mark Knopfler and percussionist Evelyn Glennie.

Reception

The film has a score of 57% on Metacritic.{{cite web |title=Finding Altamira Review |url=http://www.metacritic.com/movie/finding-altamira |work=Metacritic |access-date=24 September 2016 |year=2016 |publisher=CBS Interactive Inc.}}

Johnathan Holland of The Hollywood Reporter called the film "picturesque, but routine" and wrote that "little of the wow factor is felt on a first viewing of the Antonio Banderas-starring, Hugh Hudson-directed Finding Altamira, where events which played a footnote role in Darwin's great scientific revolution are reduced to a good-looking but unimaginative period drama in which everything proceeds exactly as expected".{{cite journal |url=http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/review/altamira-film-review-880372 |title='Altamira': Film Review |first=Jonathan |last=Holland |date=4 April 2016 |journal=The Hollywood Reporter |access-date=7 April 2016}}