Unfinished Affairs
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2022}}
{{Infobox film
| native_name = {{Infobox name module|es|La maniobra de la tortuga|nolink=yes}}
| image = Unfinished Affairs poster.jpg
| caption = Theatrical release poster
| director = Juan Miguel del Castillo
| screenplay = {{ubl|Juan Miguel del Castillo|José Rodríguez}}
| based_on = {{Based on|La maniobra de la tortuga|Benito Olmo}}
| starring = {{Plain list|
- Fred Adenis
- Natalia de Molina
- Ignacio Mateos
- Mona Martínez
- Carlos Manuel Díaz
- Gerardo de Pablos
}}
| music =
| cinematography =
| editing =
| production_companies = {{plain list|
- Áralan Films
- A Contracorriente Films
- La maniobra de la tortuga AIE
- Aleph Media
}}
| distributor = A Contracorriente Films ({{Abbrv|{{Smallcaps|es}}|Spain}})
| released = {{Film date|df=y|2022|03|24|Málaga|2022|05|13|Spain}}
| runtime =
| country = {{ubl|Spain|Argentina}}
| language = Spanish
| budget =
| gross =
}}
Unfinished Affairs ({{langx|es|La maniobra de la tortuga|links=no}}) is a 2022 Spanish-Argentine neo-noir police thriller film directed by {{ill|Juan Miguel del Castillo|es}} which stars Fred Adenis and Natalia de Molina. It is an adaptation of the novel La maniobra de la tortuga by Benito Olmo.
Plot
Cast
{{Cast listing|
- Fred Adenis as Manuel Bianquetti
- Natalia de Molina
- Ignacio Mateos
- Mona Martínez
- Carlos Manuel Díaz
- Gerardo de Pablos
}}
Production
An adaptation of the novel La maniobra de la tortuga by Benito Olmo, the screenplay was penned by Juan Miguel del Castillo alongside José Rodríguez.{{Cite web|url=https://www.elcorreo.com/butaca/en-rodaje/maniobra-tortuga-suma-20210524195351-ntrc.html|website=El Correo|author=Boquerini|title='La maniobra de la tortuga', una suma de thriller y cine social|date=29 May 2021}} The film was produced by Áralan Films, A Contracorriente Films and La maniobra de la tortuga AIE alongside Aleph Media and it had the participation of RTVE, Canal Sur and Movistar+.{{Cite web|url=https://www.audiovisual451.com/se-rueda-la-maniobra-de-la-tortuga-una-coproduccion-de-espana-y-argentina-que-es-el-segundo-largometraje-de-juan-miguel-del-castillo/|website=Audiovisual451|title=Se rueda ‘La maniobra de la tortuga’, una coproducción de España y Argentina que es el segundo largometraje de Juan Miguel del Castillo|date=19 May 2021}} It was funded by ICAA, AAIICC, Triodos Bank and Crea SGR and sponsored by the {{ill|Provincial Deputation of Cádiz|es|Diputación Provincial de Cádiz|lt=Diputación de Cádiz}}.{{Cite web|url=https://cineuropa.org/es/newsdetail/405136/|first=Alfonso|last=Rivera|website=Cineuropa|title=La maniobra de la tortuga echa a andar|date=26 May 2021}} Shooting began in May 2021 and wrapped in June 2021.{{Cite web|url=https://www.rtve.es/television/20210520/rodaje-maniobra-tortuga/2091341.shtml|website=RTVE|title=Comienza el rodaje de la adaptación de 'La maniobra de la tortuga' con Natalia de Molina|date=20 May 2021}} Shooting locations included the province of Cádiz (Jerez de la Frontera, San Fernando, Cádiz) and Seville.{{Cite web|url=https://www.diariodecadiz.es/ocio/abril-estreno-pelicula-maniobra-tortuga_0_1651336819.html|website=Diario de Cádiz|title=El 29 de abril será el estreno de la película 'La maniobra de la tortuga'|date=27 January 2022}}{{Cite web|url=https://vivajerez.es/jerez/979296/juan-miguel-del-castillo-nos-ha-ayudado-mucho-el-ruido-que-hizo-techo-y-comida/|website=Viva Jerez|title=Juan Miguel del Castillo: "Nos ha ayudado mucho el ruido que hizo Techo y Comida"|date=17 June 2021|first=Rocío|last=Alfaro}}
Release
The film had its world premiere on 24 March 2022 at the 25th Málaga Film Festival,{{Cite web|url=https://www.rtve.es/television/20220310/maniobra-tortuga-donde-ver/2306796.shtml|title=Natalia de Molina en la adaptación al cine de la exitosa novela de Benito Olmo|date=10 March 2022|website=rtve}} screened in the festival's main competition.{{Cite web|url=https://www.fotogramas.es/festival-de-malaga/g39119528/festival-de-malaga-2022-seccion-oficial-programacion/|website=Fotogramas|date=2 March 2022|first=Juan|last=Silvestre|title=Festival de Málaga 2022: Todos los títulos de la Sección Oficial}} Distributed by A Contracorriente Films, it was theatrically released in Spain on 13 May 2022.{{Cite web|url=https://www.diariodecadiz.es/ocio/estreno-maniobra-tortuga-atrasa-mayo-video_0_1678032731.html|website=Diario de Cádiz|date=26 April 2022|title=El estreno de 'La maniobra de la tortuga' se atrasa una semana}} Latido Films swooped on international sales rights.{{Cite web|url=https://variety.com/2022/film/global/latido-malaga-unfinished-affairs-del-castillo-1235195041/|title=Malaga Competition Title ‘Unfinished Affairs’ Pounced on by Latido (EXCLUSIVE)|date=3 March 2022|first=John|last=Hopewell|website=Variety}}
Reception
Sergio F. Pinilla of Cinemanía rated the film 4½ out of 5 stars deeming the film to be the "best [Spanish] police thriller since Marshland (despite its ending)", also writing that "it is a fierce, intense thriller that also knows how to take advantage of the chromatic and scenic richness of the Tacita de Plata".{{Cite web|url=https://www.20minutos.es/cinemania/criticas/critica-de-la-maniobra-de-la-tortuga-4997138/|website=Cinemanía|via=20minutos.es|first=Sergio F.|last=Pinilla|date=9 May 2022|title=Crítica de 'La maniobra de la tortuga'}}
Beatriz Martínez of El Periódico de Catalunya scored 2 out of 5 stars, considering that the result of interweaving the codes of the investigative thriller with elements of social realism "is not always satisfactory", bringing in issues of lack of subtlety and certain clumsy storytelling.{{Cite web|url=https://www.elperiodico.com/es/ocio-y-cultura/20220512/critica-pelicula-la-maniobra-de-la-tortuga-13643214|website=El Periódico de Catalunya|title='La maniobra de la tortuga': cuando el 'thriller' no casa con la denuncia social|first=Beatriz|last=Martínez|date=12 May 2022}}
Reviewing for El Cultural, Juan Sardá wrote that Juan Miguel del Castillo "without departing from the codes of the thriller, manages to extract moments of true humanity", likewise assessing that the "excellent direction manages to create a turbulent, unhealthy atmosphere", to which the great performances by Molina and Tatien add up.{{Cite web|website=El Cultural|url=https://www.elespanol.com/el-cultural/cine/20220513/maniobra-tortuga-gran-thriller/671933178_0.html|via=El Español|date=13 May 2022|first=Juan|last=Sardá|title='La maniobra de la tortuga', un gran 'thriller'}}
Ekaitz Ortega of HobbyConsolas scored 64 out of 100 points ("acceptable"), highlighting the performances from the two leads and the use of the setting as an additional character among the best things about the film, while citing as a negative point that the two subplots fit together in a "somewhat forced way" and the social message, particularly the ending, is too unpolished.{{Cite web|url=https://www.hobbyconsolas.com/reviews/critica-maniobra-tortuga-thriller-protagonizado-natalia-molina-fred-tatien-1050885|website=HobbyConsolas|first=Raquel|last=Hernández Luján|title=Crítica de La maniobra de la tortuga, thriller protagonizado por Natalia de Molina y Fred Tatien|date=13 May 2022}}
Elsa Fernández Santos of El País considered Unfinished Affairs to be irregular (yet also timely), assessing that the film grows as it progresses, that could have blended both stories better and that Natalia de Molina "once again demonstrates her enormous acting talent".{{Cite web|url=https://elpais.com/cultura/2022-05-13/la-maniobra-de-la-tortuga-violencia-de-genero-para-todos-los-publicos.html|title=‘La maniobra de la tortuga’: violencia de género para todos los públicos|date=13 May 2022|first=Elsa|last=Fernández Santos|website=El País}}
Accolades
{{Awards table|5}}
|-
| rowspan = "12" align = "center" | 2023 || rowspan = "12" | 2nd Carmen Awards || colspan = "2" | Best Film || {{nom}} || rowspan = "12" | {{Cite web|url=https://www.lavozdealmeria.com/noticia/5/vivir/249096/controverso-opta-a-dos-carmen-que-anuncian-sus-candidatos-desde-almeria|website=La Voz de Almería|title=‘Controverso’ opta a dos Carmen, que anuncian sus candidatos desde Almería|date=14 December 2022|first=Evaristo|last=Martínez}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.ideal.es/culturas/almeria/modelo-triunfa-carmen-20230205014104-nt.html|website=Ideal|publisher=Grupo Vocento|date=5 February 2023|title=Modelo 77 triunfa en los Carmen: Así ha quedado el palmarés}}
|-
| Best Director || Juan Miguel del Castillo || {{nom}}
|-
| Best Actress || Natalia de Molina || {{won}}
|-
| Best Adapted Screenplay || Juan Miguel del Castillo, José Rodríguez || {{nom}}
|-
| Best Supporting Actress || Mona Martínez || {{nom}}
|-
| Best New Actor || Fran Caballero || {{nom}}
|-
| Best Editing || Manuel Terceño || {{nom}}
|-
| Best Art Direction || Vanesa de la Haza || {{nom}}
|-
| Best Production Supervision || Sandra Rodríguez, Marta Velasco || {{nom}}
|-
| Best Makeup and Hairstyles || Ana Beato, Rafael Mora || {{nom}}
|-
| Best Sound || Dani de Zayas, Jorge Marín || {{nom}}
|-
| Best Special Effects || Amparo Martínez || {{nom}}
|}
See also
References
{{reflist}}