ONLY HUMAN aka SERES QUERIDOS
Year: 2004
USA: Magnolia Pictures
UK: Verve Pictures
Cast: Guillermo Toledo, Marian Aguilera, Maria Botto, Fernando Ramallo, Norma Aleandro, Alba Molinero, Max Berliner, Mario Martin, Emiliana Olmedo, Balbino Lacosta, Paco Martinez, Manuel Rodal, Sara Deray, Ramata Koite, Yohana Cobo, Yolanda Hernandez, Carlos Herranz, Esther Voong
Directors: Teresa De Pelegri, Dominic Harari
Countries: Spain / UK / Argentina / Portugal
Language: Spanish (English subtitles)
USA: 85 mins
UK: 89 mins
USA Rated: R for some sexual content, nudity and language
UK Certificate: 15 contains infrequent strong language
USA Release Date: 16 June 2006 (Limited Release)
UK Release Date: 3 June 2005 (Limited Release - wider)
UK Release Date: 20 May 2005
US Distributor
UK Distributor
Synopsis
Leni (Marian Aguilera) arrives home to introduce her fiance Rafi (Guillermo Toledo) to her Jewish family for the first time. Her mother Gloria (Norma Aleandro), her promiscuous sister Tania (Maria Botto), Tania's contrary 8 year-old daughter Paula (Alba Molinero), her recently orthodox brother David (Fernando Ramallo) and her blind grandfather Dudu (Max Berliner).
Everything goes wonderfully until the lovers reveal that Rafi is Palestinian. With his future mother-in-law Gloria unhinged by the news, Rafi tries to ingratiate himself by helping in the kitchen. To make matters worse he accidentally drops the soup he was meant to defrost out the seventh floor window, hitting a pedestrian below. Rafi sneaks downstairs to check on the body and retrieve the soup. Having seen the victim, Rafi rushes upstairs not knowing what to do! As he returns to the kitchen he notices a family portrait of Leni's father which bears a very close resemblance to the corpse lying outside...
A gloriously irreverent family comedy, ONLY HUMAN fuses brilliant characterization and unrelenting humour to rework the age-old story of meeting the parents with a hilarious modern twist.
A brilliant ensemble cast includes Argentinean actress Norma Aleandro, her massive list of credits include LA HISTORIA OFICIAL, COUSINS and EL HIJO DE LA NOVIA, Norma is a veteran of both American and Latin cinema. Guillermo Toledo, one of Spain's most celebrated actors, his film credits include THE OTHER SIDE OF THE BED and INTACTO, he is also known for his TV and stage work. And Marian Aguilera who has recently been seen in THE RECKONING, NO DEBES EST AR AQUI and TIC TAC.
ONLY HUMAN is written and directed by husband and wife team Dominic Harari and Teresa De Pelegri. This is their first feature film, but they have previously written together with Spain's biggest comedy writer Joaquin Oristrell. The trio have written NOVIOS (1999), SIN VERGUENZA (2001) and the upcoming INCONSCIENTES (2004). On working together: "Some people tell us we're crazy writing and directing together being married, and they may have a point, but then filmmaking for us is like sex, or ping pong, more fun when you're two than one."