Norberta (film)

Norberta
Theatrical release poster
Directed by
Screenplay bySonia Escolano
Produced byEva Taboada
Starring
CinematographyDavid Valldepérez
Edited byLiana Artigal
Music byArnau Bataller
Production
companies
  • Imposible Films
  • Norbertafilm AIE
Distributed byFilmax
Release date
  • 25 July 2024 (2024-07-25)
CountrySpain
LanguageSpanish

Norberta is a 2024 Spanish comedy film directed by Sonia Escolano and Belén López Albert, which stars Luis Bermejo as the title character and Adriana Ozores alongside Mariona Terés and María Romanillos.

Plot

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Norberto and María live together a humble existence in a working-class neighborhood as a couple close to their retirement, while pulling occasional robberies. They are parents to Natalia and grandparents to gender-fluid Paula. Norberto confesses to María about having always being a woman trapped in a man's body.[1][2][3][4]

Cast

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Production

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The film was produced by Imposible Films and Norbertafilm AIE, with the participation of RTVE, TVC, and Movistar Plus+ and backing from ICAA.[6] It was shot in El Carmel neighborhood of Barcelona.[7]

Release

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Distributed by Filmax, Norberta was released theatrically in Spain on 25 July 2024.[2]

Reception

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Javier Ocaña of El País deemed Norberta to be a decent comedy-drama film, writing that despite some screenplay shortcomings, Bermejo's singular humorousness and Ozores' sensitivity manage to "elevate a whole with no greater pretensions than to be on the side of their characters".[3]

Juan Pando [es] of Fotogramas rated the film 3 out of 5 stars, considering it to be a comedy-drama defined by the exceptional work delivered by its protagonist, a "colossal" Luis Bermejo.[8]

Raquel Hernández Luján of HobbyConsolas gave the film 67 points ('acceptable') citing the "performances and the naturalness of the characters: it is a very white and pleasant comedy" as the film's hallmark while citing the feeling "of being very anecdotal [film]", possibly working better as a short film, as its worst feature.[9]

Manuel J. Lombardo of Diario de Sevilla gave Norberta 2 stars, writing that while the protagonist's transition process is portrayed "in a friendly and positive manner", the insistent attempts at comedy, subtracting from the story's dramatic weight, seem phony.[10]

Luis Martínez of El Mundo rated the film 3 out of 5 stars, writing about the "masterful" performances by Bermejo and Ozores, while acknowledging that the film is dragged down by its "pedagogical, if not chastening" intentions.[11]

Fernardo Bernal of Cinemanía rated the film 3 out of 5 stars, deeming it to be a "human and character comedy", largely sustained by the acting work.[4]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Úbeda-Portugués, Alberto (22 July 2024). "Los estrenos del 25 de julio. 'Norberta'. Sintiéndose mujer". Aisge. Archived from the original on 27 July 2024. Retrieved 26 July 2024.
  2. ^ a b Pizarro, Miguel Ángel (26 July 2024). "Luis Bermejo explora la realidad trans en 'Norberta': "Se ha hecho desde el más absoluto respeto"". ecartelera. Archived from the original on 26 July 2024. Retrieved 26 July 2024.
  3. ^ a b Ocaña, Javier (26 July 2024). "'Norberta': el abuelo de barrio que quería ser mujer". El País. Archived from the original on 26 July 2024. Retrieved 26 July 2024.
  4. ^ a b Bernal, Fernando (25 July 2024). "Crítica de 'Norberta': un verso libre entre cine social, comedia familiar y drama de género". Cinemanía. Archived from the original on 27 July 2024. Retrieved 26 July 2024 – via 20minutos.es.
  5. ^ a b "Norberta". Filmax. Retrieved 27 July 2024.
  6. ^ "RTVE.es estrena el tráiler de 'Norberta', una divertida comedia con Luis Bermejo y Adriana Ozores". rtve.es. 17 June 2024. Archived from the original on 27 July 2024. Retrieved 26 July 2024.
  7. ^ Mayor Ortega, Leonor (25 July 2024). "Luis Bermejo: "Nunca me había vestido de mujer de una manera tan radical"". La Vanguardia. Archived from the original on 26 July 2024. Retrieved 26 July 2024.
  8. ^ Pando, Juan (25 July 2024). "Crítica de 'Norberta', comedia dramática con un colosal y excepcional Luis Bermejo". Fotogramas. Archived from the original on 27 July 2024. Retrieved 26 July 2024.
  9. ^ Hernández Luján, Raquel (25 July 2024). "Crítica de Norberta, una comedia amable y pícara". HobbyConsolas. Archived from the original on 26 July 2024. Retrieved 26 July 2024.
  10. ^ Lombardo, Manuel J. (26 July 2024). "Comedia de aceptación". Diario de Sevilla. Grupo Joly. Archived from the original on 26 July 2024. Retrieved 26 July 2024.
  11. ^ Martínez, Luis (24 July 2024). "Norberta: La comedia trans es género fluido (***)". El Mundo. Archived from the original on 26 July 2024. Retrieved 26 July 2024.