Finding Altamira
Finding Altamira

Finding Altamira

Director Hugh Hudson

Production year 2016

Length 97min.

Country Spain

SYNOPSIS

1879. Amidst the green hills, snow-capped peaks and dramatic coastline of Northern Spain, nine year old Maria Sautuola, and her father, Marcelino, an amateur archaeologist, discover something truly extraordinary, something that will change the history of mankind. The first cave art – breathtakingly fresh and accomplished paintings of galloping bison. At first all goes well, even the King comes to admire the cave, but Maria’s mother, the lovely and devout Conchita, is not the only one disturbed at the idea that prehistoric “savages” could have created such magnificent art. The Catholic Church sees the claim of ten thousand year old art as an attack on Biblical truth by Godless rationalists. Shockingly the scientists prove just as dogmatic and reactionary. Instead of examining the evidence, Carthailac, the leading prehistorian, condemns Marcelino and his discovery as fakes. Maria’s fairytale world grows dark and her attempts to help only make things worse. The family is thrown into crisis and the cave locked up. It takes all their love for each other to find a way through to redemption and recognition.

CAST & CREW

Hugh Hudson
Hugh Hudson

Director

Producer(s)

Alvaro Longoria, Lucrecia Botín, Andy Paterson

Script

José Luis López-Linares, Olivia Hetreed

Director of Photography

José Luis Alcaine

Production designer

Alejandro Fernández, Benjamín Fernández

Music by

Mark Knopfler, Evelyn Glennie

Sound

Dani Fontrodona

Edit

Pia Di Ciaula

Cast

Antonio Banderas, Golshifteh Farahani, Allegra Allen, Clement Sibony, Rupert Everett

Production company(ies)

Mare Nostrum Productions, El Maestro de Altamira, A.I.E., Fox International Productions

Hugh Hudson

Anglo-Scottish film director-producer-writer, Hugh Hudson began his career as a filmmaker in documentaries, producing and directing many award winning films. Opera director in Germany 2016. His films include: Fangio (1975), Chariots of Fire (1981, 4 Oscars including Best Picture, BAFTA - Best Picture), Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes (1984, 4 Oscar Nominations), Revolution (1985), Lost Angels (1989, nominated for Cannes Palme d’Or), My Life So Far (1999), I Dreamed of Africa (2000, Closing Film Cannes), Rupture (2011, 70 minute doc. for BBC4) Altamira (2016).


Filmography

A... Is for Apple (1963, short), Design for Today (1965, doc.), The Tortoise and the Hare (1967, short), Irresistible (1971), 12 Squadron Buccaneers (1978, doc.), Fangio: Una vita a 300 all'ora (1980, doc) Chariots of Fire (1981), Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes (1984), Revolution (1985), Lost Angels (1989), The King of Ads (1991, doc.), Lumière and Company (1995, segment), My Life So Far (1999), I Dreamed of Africa (2000), Rupture: A Matter of Life or Death (2011, doc.), Finding Altamira (2016).

FILMS 2017