La Cuchara Sangrienta (English: The Bloody Spoon) is a 2004 Prasian action thriller film directed and written by Sebastian Pinzon and starring Daniel Lorenzo Vidal, Juan Camilo Diaz and Hernan Perez Castro. The film is based on real events that took place at the Peralveche prison in 1972, in which three political prisoners attempt to escape from the prison. The name of the film comes from the spoon used by the three protagonists to dig an escape route out of Peralveche.
La Cuchara Sangrienta premiered at the Monfarracinos Film Festival on November 12, 2004, and was released in cinemas just over a week later on November 22, to high critical acclaim.
Cast[]
- Daniel Lorenzo Vidal as Juan Fernandez, a middle aged businessman, imprisoned by Salva's regime for importing household goods from Europe and the United States. Fernandez is the leader of the group that escape from the prison, and on numerous occasions stirs up trouble with the wardens.
- Juan Camilo Diaz as Alejandro Duarte Vera, a middle class university student from the suburbs of Adahuesca, imprisoned for attending a protest against Salva's regime. Alejandro is the youngest of the three and often proves himself as the most foolish and naive. Alejandro is shot by the guards as the three men escape from the prison.
- Hernan Perez Castro as David Cardozo, a left-wing, middle class university professor from San Luis, who was imprisoned for writing and distributing pamphlets and books criticising Salva's regime. David is clearly the most intelligent of the three and it is his idea to tunnel an escape route, although he is also a quiet, timid character.
- Guillermo Ramos as Hector, an elderly man working as a cook at the prison. Hector is shown as being unsupportive of Salva's regime and ultimately supports Juan, Alejandro and David in their escape attempt by giving them an old, rusty spoon (the namesake of the film) from the kitchen. The three men then use the spoon to dig an escape route, however, when the warden discovers that Hector helped the men, he is executed by a firing squad.
- Luis Lopez Salazar as the Warden, an authoritative and unpleasant figure within the prison. It is implied that he is a close ally of Salva and his regime and was seconded to the prison to maintain control and order. The Warden takes a particular dislike towards Juan and is also shown as being physically and verbally abusive to his employees, particularly Hector.
- Camila Garcia as Maria, the wife of the warden. She lives with her much older husband and two children in a small house near the prison. Coming from an upper class family in San Luis, she recently moved to the prison with her family, hating her new life. Maria is portrayed as a lonely, quiet character. When she briefly meets Alejandro, the two have a brief romantic encounter.
- Ricardo Molina and Victor Rodriguez as Luis and Carlos Calvo, two brothers from a farm in rural Catarina, imprisoned for supporting a campaign against Alfredo Salva's regime. Juan and Carlos are the cellmates of Juan, Alejandro and David and are quiet characters, who feel out of place away from their rural home and contrast heavily with the protagonists. When the three are planning their escape, Luis and Carlos talk enthusiastically with them about the plan and decide to escape with them, but change their minds at the last minute.
- Jaime Castro as Jose, a fisherman whose boat finds Juan and David after they escape the prison and head for the sea.
- Luis Mendez Martin, as a fisherman, and colleague of Jose.