Norberta (film)

2024 Spanish film

Norberta

Theatrical release poster

Directed by|

* Sonia Escolano
* Belén López Albert

Screenplay by| Sonia Escolano
Produced by| Eva Taboada
Starring|

* Luis Bermejo
* Adriana Ozores
* Mariona Terés
* María Romanillos

Cinematography| David Valldepérez
Edited by| Liana Artigal
Music by| Arnau Bataller

Production
companies

* Imposible Films
* Norbertafilm AIE

Distributed by| Filmax

Release date

* 25 July 2024 (2024-07-25)

Country| Spain
Language| Spanish

Norberta is a 2024 Spanish comedy film directed by Sonia Escolano and Belén López Albert, which stars Luis Bermejo as the title character and Adriana Ozores alongside Mariona Terés and María Romanillos.

## Plot

[edit]

Norberto and María live together a humble existence in a working-class neighborhood as a couple close to their retirement, while pulling occasional robberies. They are parents to Natalia and grandparents to gender-fluid Paula. Norberto confesses to María about having always being a woman trapped in a man's body.[1][2][3][4]

## Cast

[edit]

* Luis Bermejo as Norberto[1]
* Adriana Ozores as María[1]
* Mariona Terés [es] as Natalia[1]
* María Romanillos as Paula[1]
* Adelfa Calvo as Pepa[1]
* Carme Balagué as Tere[1]
* María Lanau as Rosa[1]
* Ramon Agirre [es] as Manolo[1]
* Xavier Deltell [es] as Paco[1]
* César Tormo as Tomás[1]
* Ángeles Ortega [es] as Samantha[5]
* Teresa Lozano as Magdalena[5]

## Production

[edit]

The film was produced by Imposible Films and Norbertafilm AIE, with the participation of RTVE, TVC, and Movistar Plus+ and backing from ICAA.[6] It was shot in El Carmel neighborhood of Barcelona.[7]

## Release

[edit]

Distributed by Filmax, Norberta was released theatrically in Spain on 25 July 2024.[2]

## Reception

[edit]

Javier Ocaña of El País deemed Norberta to be a decent comedy-drama film, writing that despite some screenplay shortcomings, Bermejo's singular humorousness and Ozores' sensitivity manage to "elevate a whole with no greater pretensions than to be on the side of their characters".[3]

Juan Pando [es] of Fotogramas rated the film 3 out of 5 stars, considering it to be a comedy-drama defined by the exceptional work delivered by its protagonist, a "colossal" Luis Bermejo.[8]

Raquel Hernández Luján of HobbyConsolas gave the film 67 points ('acceptable') citing the "performances and the naturalness of the characters: it is a very white and pleasant comedy" as the film's hallmark while citing the feeling "of being very anecdotal [film]", possibly working better as a short film, as its worst feature.[9]

Manuel J. Lombardo of Diario de Sevilla gave Norberta 2 stars, writing that while the protagonist's transition process is portrayed "in a friendly and positive manner", the insistent attempts at comedy, subtracting from the story's dramatic weight, seem phony.[10]

Luis Martínez of El Mundo rated the film 3 out of 5 stars, writing about the "masterful" performances by Bermejo and Ozores, while acknowledging that the film is dragged down by its "pedagogical, if not chastening" intentions.[11]

Fernardo Bernal of Cinemanía rated the film 3 out of 5 stars, deeming it to be a "human and character comedy", largely sustained by the acting work.[4]

## See also

[edit]

* List of Spanish films of 2024

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Úbeda-Portugués, Alberto (22 July 2024). "Los estrenos del 25 de julio. 'Norberta'. Sintiéndose mujer". Aisge. Archived from the original on 27 July 2024. Retrieved 26 July 2024.
2. ^ a b Pizarro, Miguel Ángel (26 July 2024). "Luis Bermejo explora la realidad trans en 'Norberta': "Se ha hecho desde el más absoluto respeto"". ecartelera. Archived from the original on 26 July 2024. Retrieved 26 July 2024.
3. ^ a b Ocaña, Javier (26 July 2024). "'Norberta': el abuelo de barrio que quería ser mujer". El País. Archived from the original on 26 July 2024. Retrieved 26 July 2024.
4. ^ a b Bernal, Fernando (25 July 2024). "Crítica de 'Norberta': un verso libre entre cine social, comedia familiar y drama de género". Cinemanía. Archived from the original on 27 July 2024. Retrieved 26 July 2024 - via 20minutos.es.
5. ^ a b "Norberta". Filmax. Retrieved 27 July 2024.
6. ^ "RTVE.es estrena el tráiler de 'Norberta', una divertida comedia con Luis Bermejo y Adriana Ozores". rtve.es. 17 June 2024. Archived from the original on 27 July 2024. Retrieved 26 July 2024.
7. ^ Mayor Ortega, Leonor (25 July 2024). "Luis Bermejo: "Nunca me había vestido de mujer de una manera tan radical"". La Vanguardia. Archived from the original on 26 July 2024. Retrieved 26 July 2024.
8. ^ Pando, Juan (25 July 2024). "Crítica de 'Norberta', comedia dramática con un colosal y excepcional Luis Bermejo". Fotogramas. Archived from the original on 27 July 2024. Retrieved 26 July 2024.
9. ^ Hernández Luján, Raquel (25 July 2024). "Crítica de Norberta, una comedia amable y pícara". HobbyConsolas. Archived from the original on 26 July 2024. Retrieved 26 July 2024.
10. ^ Lombardo, Manuel J. (26 July 2024). "Comedia de aceptación". Diario de Sevilla. Grupo Joly. Archived from the original on 26 July 2024. Retrieved 26 July 2024.
11. ^ Martínez, Luis (24 July 2024). "Norberta: La comedia trans es género fluido (***)". El Mundo. Archived from the original on 26 July 2024. Retrieved 26 July 2024.