A billionaire, a director, and two rival actors collide in a chaotic film set
In short: When an ageing multi-millionaire decides to cement his legacy by financing a film, he hires an eccentric director and two clashing leads. What follows is a dark comedy of manipulation, bizarre rehearsals, and professional sabotage that blurs the line between the actors' performances and their actual, volatile lives.
Directed by Gastón Duprat and Mariano Cohn, the 2021 film Official Competition follows Humberto Suárez, an 80-year-old multi-millionaire who seeks to improve his public legacy. Instead of building a bridge, he commissions a film based on the novel Rivalry. He recruits the reclusive Palme d'Or laureate Lola Cuevas to direct, tasking her with managing two lead actors with diametrically opposed styles: the method-focused Iván Torres and the mainstream Hollywood star Félix Rivero.
The production is defined by Lola’s increasingly erratic directorial methods. She subjects her actors to psychological games, such as dangling a heavy boulder over their heads to manufacture tension or shredding their hard-won awards in an industrial machine. The power struggle between Iván and Félix escalates as they trade lies about life-threatening diagnoses and professional disdain. This rivalry culminates in a physical altercation on a mezzanine, leaving Iván comatose and forcing Félix to take over both roles in the film.
The film’s meta-commentary on the industry resonated with critics, earning a 96% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes. While the plot explores the absurdity of artistic ego, the production itself faced real-world hurdles. Filming began in February 2020 in Spain but was halted in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, only resuming in September 2020. Despite these interruptions, the film premiered at the 78th Venice International Film Festival in September 2021, eventually winning awards at festivals in Sudbury and Vancouver.
Ultimately, the film serves as a cynical look at the creative process. In the final scenes, the characters return to their previous lives: Suárez pivots back to his bridge project, Félix returns to Hollywood, and Iván awakens from his coma to continue his grudge. Lola, meanwhile, remains dismissive of any deeper meaning critics might project onto her work, maintaining her blunt, enigmatic persona even in the post-screening Q&A.
Opens the Intellect+ feed with this card first. Swipe up for the next one.
Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Official Competition
- Also: Official Competition
To cite this card, link to https://intellectplus.co.uk/app/entertainment-official-competition.
How we source, check and correct cards: Editorial standards.
General information, not professional advice. Spotted an error? Flag the card or see corrections and complaints.
Intellect Plus is a visual educational discovery platform for exploring fascinating facts and ideas. Brain Food, Not Brain Rot. What is Intellect Plus?
Related
More in Films · More in Entertainment · Latest · A–Z · All topics
