Giant (2017 film)

Giant (Basque: Handia) is a 2017 Basque-language drama film directed by Aitor Arregi and Jon Garaño.^[3] The film is based on the life of Miguel Joaquín Eleicegui [es] (1818–1861) who suffered from gigantism and was known as the "Giant from Altzo". The film premiered at the 2017 San Sebastián International Film Festival, where it was awarded the Special Jury Prize.^[4] The film was also screened at the 2017 BFI London Film Festival.^[5]

Giant
Spanish release poster
Basque	Handia
Directed by	Aitor Arregi Galdos Jon Garaño
Written by	Andoni De Carlos José Mari Goenaga Aitor Arregi Jon Garaño
Produced by	Xabier Berzosa Iñaki Gómez Iñigo Obeso
Starring	Joseba Usabiaga Eneko Sagardoy Iñigo Aranburu Ramón Agirre Aia Kruse
Cinematography	Javier Agirre Erauso
Edited by	Laurent Dufreche Raúl López
Music by	Pascal Gaigne
Production companies	Irusoin Kowalski Films Moriarti Produkzioak EITB TVE
Release dates	23 September 2017 (2017-09-23) (San Sebastián) 20 October 2017 (2017-10-20) (Spain)
Running time	114 minutes
Country	Spain
Languages	Basque (some dialogue in Spanish, French, English, Arabic and Portuguese)
Box office	$912,912[1][2]

At the 32nd Goya Awards, the film won ten awards, including Best Original Screenplay, Best New Actor (Eneko Sagardoy), and Best Original Score (Pascal Gaigne).^[6]

Plot

Martin Eleizegi is an unwilling conscript in the First Carlist War. While fighting, he is injured and loses the use of his right arm. He returns to his family's small farm in the village of Altzo in the Basque Country, where he discovers his younger brother, Joaquin, has grown into a giant. Martin, longing to migrate to America, sees the financial opportunity in marketing the "tallest man on Earth." The brothers travel around Europe, despite Joaquin's increasing discomfort of being a freak show. Joaquin measures himself each night and is horrified that he continues to grow well into his twenties, and suffers from increasing aches and pains. He suspects that his condition is terminal.

Martin attempts to appear more sophisticated by learning Spanish and wearing modern fashions. He briefly believes he blends in, yet his background and Basque accent betray him. Embittered, he and Joaquin travel abroad through Spain, France and England. The brothers eventually visit Stonehenge where, in a surreal, early morning ritual, Joaquin is introduced to two other giants: Saad and Esther.^[7]

In Paris, Joaquin's pain intensifies. He is taken to a doctor, who formally diagnoses Joaquin with gigantism. The doctor asks if Joaquin would sell his bones to science after he passes away. Joaquin replies that he wants to be buried in Altzo.

Joaquin and Esther meet up for a romantic encounter. She shows interest, but he is too self-conscious and possibly impotent due to his condition. Their night ends with Esther upset and confused as Joaquin angrily sends her away.

When the brothers briefly return home, Martin marries Maria, whom Joaquin courted before he grew to an unusual height. Martin and Joaquin continue to tour, with the intention of using Joaquin's wages to secure ownership of the family farm. Joaquin, suspicious of being exploited, secretly hoards the money. When their carriage is robbed by highwaymen, all of Joaquin's money is stolen. To prevent losing the farm, Martin gives up his own earnings, which he had planned to use to move to America.

In an attempt to recoup their losses, the brothers continue to tour. However, Joaquin's physical health deteriorates and their audiences dwindle. One day, Joaquin is chased into the woods by a wolf and nearly freezes to death. When the brothers reunite, Martin recognizes Joaquin's undying loyalty and they return home for good.

Joaquin dies from his medical condition and is buried in Altzo. He leaves a surprising amount of money to Martin, though the source of it is unclear. Years later, after Martin's father dies, he digs up Joaquin's grave to make room in the family cemetery. He discovers the grave is empty and realizes the money likely came from the selling of Joaquin's bones. Martin reflects on how all physical traces of Joaquin are slowly disappearing, but that he will not forget his brother.

Cast

• Joseba Usabiaga [es] as Martin
• Eneko Sagardoy as Joaquin
• Iñigo Aranburu as Arzadun
• Ramón Agirre Lasarte [es] as Antonio
• Aia Kruse as María

Reception

Critical response

The film won several Goya awards in Spain and has been described as the most technically accomplished to date Basque-language movie. English language critics have been equally enthusiastic, praising especially its visual brilliance while noting that the plot loses momentum towards the end.^[7]

As of June 2020^[update], Giant holds a 70% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, based on ten reviews with an average rating of 6.5 out of 10.^[8]

Awards and nominations

Awards	Date of ceremony	Category	Nominees	Result	Ref.
65th San Sebastián International Film Festival	September 30, 2017	Golden Shell for Best Film		Nominated	[4]
		Special Jury Prize		Won
V Premios Feroz	January 22, 2018	Best Drama Film		Nominated	[9][10]
		Best Director	Aitor Arregi Jon Garaño	Nominated
		Best Original Soundtrack	Pascal Gaigne	Won
		Best Film Poster	Iñaki Villuendas	Won
32nd Goya Awards	February 3, 2018	Best Film		Nominated
		Best Director	Aitor Arregi Jon Garaño	Nominated
		Best New Actor	Eneko Sagardoy	Won	[11][12]
		Best Original Screenplay	Jon Garaño José María Goenaga Aitor Arregi	Won
		Best Production Supervision	Ander Sistiaga	Won	[13][14]
		Best Editing	Laurent Dufreche Raúl López	Won
		Best Original Score	Pascal Gaigne	Won
		Best Cinematography	Javier Aguirre Erauso	Won
		Best Art Direction	Mikel Serrano	Won
		Best Costume Design	Saioa Lara	Won
		Best Makeup and Hairstyles	Ainhoa Eskisabel Olga Cruz Gorka Aguirre	Won
		Best Sound	Iñaki Díez Xanti Salvador	Nominated
		Best Special Effects	Jon Serrano David Heras	Won

Addendum

Though it had been long believed that the body of Miguel Joaquín Eleicegui had been sold or stolen, the mystery was solved three years after the movie was released when a team from the Sociedad de Ciencias Aranzadi [es] exhumed his bones in the local Altzo cemetery.^[15]

References

1. "Handia (Giant)". The Numbers. Retrieved 15 August 2018.
2. "Handia (Giant)". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 15 August 2018.
3. Belinchón, Gregorio (25 September 2017). "El ying y el yang del gigante vasco". El País (in Spanish). Retrieved 13 December 2017.
4. "Official Awards - FIAPF". San Sebastián International Film Festival. Retrieved 14 December 2017.
5. "Giant". BFI London Film Festival. Archived from the original on September 1, 2017. Retrieved 14 December 2017.
6. Blanes, Pepa (February 3, 2018). "Premios Goya 2018 'La librería', de Isabel Coixet, triunfa en los Goya de las mujeres". RTVE (in Spanish). Retrieved February 3, 2018.
7. Holland, Jonathan. "'Giant' ('Handia'): Film Review". Hollywoodreporter.com, 2018. Retrieved 13 May 2018
8. "Handia (2017)". Retrieved 7 June 2020 – via Rotten Tomatoes.
9. "Lista completa de los nominados a los Premios Feroz 2018". ECartelera (in Spanish). 6 December 2017. Retrieved 5 December 2017.
10. "La lista completa de ganadores de los premios Feroz 2018". El Huffington Post (in Spanish). 23 January 2018. Retrieved 23 January 2018.
11. "Eneko Sagardoy, mejor actor revelación por 'Handia'". Radiotelevisión Española (in Spanish). February 3, 2018. Retrieved February 6, 2018.
12. EFE (February 4, 2018). "Eneko Sagardoy, Goya al mejor actor revelación por "Handia"". EL Diario (in Spanish). Retrieved February 6, 2018.
13. "Ander Sistiaga, Mejor Dirección de Producción por 'Handía". Radiotelevisión Española (in Spanish). February 3, 2018. Retrieved February 6, 2018.
14. "Ander Sistiaga, Mejor Dirección de Producción por 'Handia'". Europa Press (in Spanish). Madrid. February 3, 2018. Retrieved February 6, 2018.
15. Los restos del Gigante de Altzo acaban con el mito de su desaparición

External links

• Handia at IMDb