Letters from Alou

Letters from Alou (Spanish: Las cartas de Alou) is 1990 Spanish film directed and written by Montxo Armendáriz.

Letters from Alou
Directed by	Montxo Armendáriz
Screenplay by	Montxo Armendáriz
Produced by	Elías Querejeta, TVE, Espanya 1990
Starring	Mulie Jarju, Eulalia Ramón, Ahmed El-Maaroufi, Akonio Dolo, Albert Vidal, Rosa Morata, Margarita Calahorra, Mamadou Lamine, Ly Babali, M'Barick Guisse
Cinematography	Alfredo F. Mayo
Edited by	Rori Sainz de Rozas
Music by	Luis Mendo, Bernardo Fúster
Release date	1990 (1990)
Running time	92 minutes
Country	Spain
Language	Spanish

Synopsis

Alou, a Senegalese man that has entered Spain illegally, can only find occasional jobs due to his situation. Thanks to the letters he sends regularly to his parents, we hear of his experiences and feelings as he laboriously tries to be integrated into Spanish society. He starts out on the coast of Almeria, working in the greenhouses. Then he travels to Madrid where he first comes into contact with illegal sales. He then makes his way to Segria, to work harvesting fruit, and, finally, to Barcelona, where he works in the clothes shop of another African immigrant. His adventure comes to an abrupt end when he's arrested by the police. But he crosses the Strait again, closing the circle that leaves a door open to hope.

Awards and nominations

Won

• Cinema Writers Circle Awards
  • Best Cinematography (Juan Amorós)
  • Best Film
  • Best Screenplay – Original (Montxo Armendáriz)
• Goya Awards
  • Best Cinematography (Alfredo F. Mayo)
  • Best Screenplay – Original (Montxo Armendáriz)
• San Sebastián Film Festival
  • Golden Seashell (Montxo Armendáriz)
  • OCIC Award (Montxo Armendáriz)
  • Silver Seashell: Best Actor (Mulie Jarju)

Nominated

• Goya Awards
  • Best Director (Montxo Armendáriz)
  • Best Editing (Rosario Sáinz de Rozas)
  • Best Film
  • Best Production Supervision (Primitivo Álvaro)
  • Best Sound (Eduardo Fernández and Pierre Lorrain)
  • Best Special Effects (Reyes Abades and Juan Ramón Molina)