The Near East () is a 2006 Spanish romantic comedy film written and directed by Fernando Colomo. It stars and Javier Cifrián, Nur Al Levi, and Asier Etxeandia.
Plot The plot is set in Lavapiés. After Abel impregnates Aisha, a Muslim neighbor with immigrant parents from Bangladesh, Abel's brother Cain steps in pretending to be the father to provide for the creature, marrying Aisha and becoming Muslim himself.
Cast
Production The screenplay was written by Fernando Colomo based on a story by himself and Joaquín Oristrell. The film is a Fernando Colomo Producciones Cinematográficas and Sogecine production. It was shot in Lavapiés.
Release Hispano Foxfilm took over theatrical distribution of The Near East and other titles of the Sogepaq portfolio. The film was released theatrically in Spain on 18 August 2006.
Reception Mirito Torreiro of Fotogramas rated the film 3 out of stars, highlighting the "its carefree demeanor; [and] the sharpness of Colomo's gaze" as the best things about the film.
Jonathan Holland of Variety considered that "the busy script leaps with agility from one such screwball situation to the next, not all of them plausible, but fluid editing keeps up the momentum".
Accolades
| rowspan = "3" | | rowspan = "2" | 21st Goya Awards || Best New Actor || Javier Cifrián || || rowspan = "2" | |- | Best Original Song || "Shockal Fire Ashe" by Juan Bardem and Qazi Abdur Rahim || |- | 16th Actors and Actresses Union Awards || Best New Actor || Javier Cifrián || ||
See also List of Spanish films of 2006
References