The Sandman (2007 film)

The Sandman (El hombre de arena) is a 2007 Spanish romantic drama film directed by José Manuel González-Berbel (in his directorial debut feature) which stars Hugo Silva and María Valverde. The plot is set in a Francoist psychiatric hospital.

Plot
After being interned into a psychiatric ward in Extremadura in the late 1960s, free-spirit Mateo changes the lives of the inmates in the asylum, including Lola's.

Production
The film was produced by Iroko Films, Adivina Producciones, and Las siete sillas. Shooting locations included Salvaleón, Mérida, Badajoz, and Barcarrota.

Release
The film screened at the 1st Tangier-Málaga Spanish Film Festival. Distributed by Sony Pictures, it was released theatrically in Spain on 9 November 2007.

Reception
Javier Cortijo of ABC assessed that the love story side of the film is weighed down by the [leading] actors, whilst supporting cast members (Jiménez and Visedo, together with Torrent's brief appearance) manage to uplift the whole to a certain extent.

Alberto Luchini of El Mundo considered that, well-achieved atmosphere notwithstanding, the screenplay is a mess, with "what was supposed to be moving ends up provoking indifference".