Miserable Life
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2023}}
{{Infobox film
| image = Miserable Life poster.jpg
| caption = Theatrical release poster
| native_name = {{Infobox name module|es|Terca vida|nolink=yes}}
| director = Fernando Huertas
| screenplay = {{ubl|Fernando Huertas|Javier García-Mauriño|Alfonso Cuadrado}}
| starring = {{ubl|Santiago Ramos|Luisa Martín|Manuel Alexandre|Jorge Bosch|Juan J. Valverde|Encarna Paso|Pilar Barrera|Lola Dueñas|Clara Lago}}
| cinematography = Magí Torruella
| editing = Fernando Pardo
| music = {{ubl|Miquel Asins Arbó|Antonio Meliveo}}
| released = {{Film date|2000|11|13|Huelva|2000|11|17|Spain|df=yes}}
| country = Spain
| language = Spanish
| studio = {{ubl|Karma Producciones Multimedia|PHF Films|Vía Interactiva}}
| distributor = Tri Pictures
}}
Miserable Life ({{langx|es|Terca vida|links=no}}) is a 2000 Spanish comedy-drama film directed by {{ill|Fernando Huertas|es}} which stars Santiago Ramos and Luisa Martín alongside Manuel Alexandre, Juan Jesús Valverde, Jorge Bosch, and Lola Dueñas.
Plot
Set in a working-class area of Madrid, around Hortaleza, the plot follows a group of people trying to get through their difficult lives by playing {{ill|quiniela|es|La Quiniela (España)|lt=quinielas}} (football pools), with their fate pending on the result of a FC Barcelona-Villarreal CF fixture.
Cast
{{Cast listing|
- Santiago Ramos as Paco
- Luisa Martín as Julia
- Manuel Alexandre as Andrés
- {{ill|Jorge Bosch|es}} as Angel
- {{ill|Juan Jesús Valverde|es|lt=Juan J. Valverde}} as Juan
- Encarna Paso as Vicky
- {{ill|Pilar Barrera|es}}
- Lola Dueñas as Esther{{Cite web|url=https://www.europapress.es/cultura/cine-00128/noticia-fernando-huertas-cuenta-historia-no-triunfadores-pelicula-terca-vida-20001117105055.html|website=Europa Press|date=17 November 2000|title=Fernando Huertas cuenta una historia de "no triunfadores" en la película 'Terca Vida'}}
- Clara Lago as Bea (voice){{Cite web|website=El País|date=12 November 2016|first=Javier|last=Galán Caballero|first2=José M.|last2=Abad Liñán|title=Estos son los 100 actores más taquilleros del cine español|url=https://elpais.com/cultura/2016/11/11/actualidad/1478889951_248072.html}}
- Hugo Silva{{Cite web|url=https://www.elcomercio.es/20130510/gente/hugo-silva-aniversario-201305102232.html|website=El Comercio|date=11 May 2013|title=Hugo Silva cumple 36 años}}
}}
Production
The film was produced by Karma Producciones Multimedia, PHF Films, and Vía Interactiva. Shooting locations included Madrid.{{Cite web|website=ScreenDaily|url=https://www.screendaily.com/via-digital-makes-production-move-with-querejeta/402526.article|title=Via Digital makes production move with Querejeta|first=Jennifer|last=Green|date=1 June 2000}} It boasted a 135 million ₧ budget.
Release
The film premiered at the 26th Huelva Ibero-American Film Festival on 13 November 2000.{{Cite web|website=El País|date=14 November 2000|url=https://elpais.com/diario/2000/11/14/andalucia/974157753_850215.html|first=Luis Eduardo|last=Siles|title=Real como el cine mismo}} Distributed by Tri Pictures, it was released theatrically in Spain on 17 November 2000.
Reception
Jonathan Holland of Variety deemed the film to be "a diverting neo-realist excursion into Impossible Dream territory", otherwise featuring "moments of charm and an attractive central idea" but also a "lack of glam".{{Cite web|url=https://variety.com/2000/film/reviews/miserable-life-1200465746/|website=Variety|title=Miserable Life|date=26 December 2000|first=Jonathan|last=Holland}}
Accolades
{{Awards table|5}}
|-
| align = "center" | 2001 || 15th Goya Awards || Best New Actress || Luisa Martín || {{nom}} || {{Cite web|url=https://www.accioncultural.es/virtuales/premiosgoya/pdf/catalogo_expo_Goya_1987_2013.pdf|page=283|title=Viaje al cine español. 25 años de los Premios Goya|publisher=Lunwerg|year=2011|isbn=978-84-9785-791-8}}
|}