Life in the Abyss

Life in the Abyss

90 mins | Drama, Thriller | Jan. 26, 2007

This film evokes Valencia illegal gaming back in the seventies. A young peasant -Ferran- plays cards not much to make a living but as a distraction of his daily routine. Ferran meets a larger-than-life character -el chino- who happens to play cards for a living. This other guy is depicted as a Toni Manero look alike but his charisma an arrogance lead the innocent Ferran to join him in his schemes to make money to end up betting all on the next card table. At some point the action moves to Madrid and Ferran steps down losing track of El chino who takes on more dangerous games making a living out of Russian Roulette until the round gets loaded. Based on real events this is no Hollywood epic but it captures the desperation of the characters very effectively.

Life in the Abyss

90 mins | Drama, Thriller | Jan. 26, 2007

Life in the Abyss
This film evokes Valencia illegal gaming back in the seventies. A young peasant -Ferran- plays cards not much to make a living but as a distraction of his daily routine. Ferran meets a larger-than-life character -el chino- who happens to play cards for a living. This other guy is depicted as a Toni Manero look alike but his charisma an arrogance lead the innocent Ferran to join him in his schemes to make money to end up betting all on the next card table. At some point the action moves to Madrid and Ferran steps down losing track of El chino who takes on more dangerous games making a living out of Russian Roulette until the round gets loaded. Based on real events this is no Hollywood epic but it captures the desperation of the characters very effectively.
Producers Els Films de la Rambla S.A.
Original title La vida abismal
Directors Ventura Pons
Writers Ferran Torrent, Ventura Pons

Cast

Óscar Jaenada

as El chino

José Sospedra

as Ferrán jove

Antonio Valero

as Ferrán adult

Juli Mira

as Salvador

Pep Cortés

as Labrador

Albert Forner

as Capellà

Pepa López

as La mare