The Blind Sunflowers (film)

The Blind Sunflowers (Los girasoles ciegos) is a 2008 Spanish film directed by José Luis Cuerda and written by Rafael Azcona and Cuerda, based on the 2004 novel The Blind Sunflowers by Alberto Méndez. The film stars Maribel Verdú, Javier Cámara and Raúl Arévalo.

This film was Spain's 81st Academy Awards official submission to Foreign Language Film category, but it was not selected.

Plot
The plot follows the life of a family, former sympathizers of the Spanish Republic, during the early 1940s. Their lives are disrupted when a young priest falls in love with the mother. The film is set in Ourense, 1940 where a disorientated deacon, named Salvador returns to the seminary of Ourense where the Rector delays Salvador's access to priesthood for a year. Salvador begins teaching in a school where he meets with Lorenzo, the son of Elena, whom of which Salvador thinks is widowed. This opportunity multiplies with the deacon becoming obsessed with her, abusing her mentally and physically. We realise that Salvador is threatening Elena's family because of his obsession.

Accolades

 * align = "center" rowspan = "18" | 2009 || rowspan = "15" | 23rd Goya Awards
 * colspan = "2" | Best Film || Nominated || rowspan = "15" |
 * Best Director || José Luis Cuerda || Nominated
 * Best Adapted Screenplay || Rafael Azcona & José Luis Cuerda || Won
 * Best Original Score || Lucio Godoy || Nominated
 * Best Actor || Raúl Arévalo || Nominated
 * Best Actress || Maribel Verdú || Nominated
 * Best Supporting Actor || José Ángel Egido || Nominated
 * Best New Actor || Martiño Rivas || Nominated
 * Best Production Supervision || Emiliano Otegui || Nominated
 * Best Cinematography || Hans Burmann || Nominated
 * Best Editing || Nacho Ruiz Capillas || Nominated
 * Best Art Direction || Balter Gallart || Nominated
 * Best Costume Design || Sonia Grande || Nominated
 * Best Makeup and Hairstyles || Fermín Galán & Sylvie Imbert || Nominated
 * Best Sound || Alfonso Raposo, María Sternberg & Ricardo Steinberg || Nominated
 * rowspan = "3" | 18th Actors and Actresses Union Awards || Best Film Actress in a Leading Role || Maribel Verdú || Nominated || rowspan = "3" |
 * Best Film Actor in a Leading Role || Raúl Arévalo || Nominated
 * Best Film Actor in a Minor Role || José Ángel Egido || Won
 * }
 * Best Cinematography || Hans Burmann || Nominated
 * Best Editing || Nacho Ruiz Capillas || Nominated
 * Best Art Direction || Balter Gallart || Nominated
 * Best Costume Design || Sonia Grande || Nominated
 * Best Makeup and Hairstyles || Fermín Galán & Sylvie Imbert || Nominated
 * Best Sound || Alfonso Raposo, María Sternberg & Ricardo Steinberg || Nominated
 * rowspan = "3" | 18th Actors and Actresses Union Awards || Best Film Actress in a Leading Role || Maribel Verdú || Nominated || rowspan = "3" |
 * Best Film Actor in a Leading Role || Raúl Arévalo || Nominated
 * Best Film Actor in a Minor Role || José Ángel Egido || Won
 * }
 * Best Sound || Alfonso Raposo, María Sternberg & Ricardo Steinberg || Nominated
 * rowspan = "3" | 18th Actors and Actresses Union Awards || Best Film Actress in a Leading Role || Maribel Verdú || Nominated || rowspan = "3" |
 * Best Film Actor in a Leading Role || Raúl Arévalo || Nominated
 * Best Film Actor in a Minor Role || José Ángel Egido || Won
 * }
 * Best Film Actor in a Minor Role || José Ángel Egido || Won
 * }
 * }