{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2022}} {{Infobox film | director = Macarena Astorga | producer = Álvaro Ariza Tirado | based_on = {{Based on|''La casa del caracol''|Sandra García Nieto}} | starring = {{ubl|Javier Rey|Paz Vega|Carlos Alcántara}} | screenplay = Sandra García Nieto | image = The House of Snails poster.jpg | caption = Theatrical release poster | native_name = {{Infobox name module|es|La casa del caracol|nolink=yes}} | country = {{ubl|Spain|Peru|Mexico}} | studio = {{ubl|Esto también pasará|Casita Colorá Producciones AIE|Bowfinger International Pictures|Basque Films|Producciones Tondero|Hippo Entertainment Group}} | distributor = Filmax ({{Smallcaps|{{abbr|es|Spain}}}}) | language = Spanish | cinematography = Valentín Álvarez | music = Karin Zielinski | editing = Beatriz Colomar | released = {{Film date|2021|06|07|Málaga|2021|06|11|Spain|df=yes}} | runtime = 104 minutes }} '''''The House of Snails''''' ({{langx|es|'''La casa del caracol'''|links=no}}) is a 2021 psychological thriller film with rural horror and fantasy elements directed by {{ill|Macarena Astorga|es}} from a screenplay written by Sandra García Nieto, based on García Nieto's novel ''La casa del caracol'' which stars Javier Rey alongside Paz Vega and Carlos Alcántara.
== Plot == The plot is set in the 1970s in a fictional village ("Quintanar") in the Andalusian sierra, where Antonio Prieto, a writer addicted to mezcal rents a house there so he can write his novel in relative isolation.<ref name="efdezsantos" /><ref name="ddsevilla" /><ref name="fmalaga">{{Cite web|url=https://festivaldemalaga.com/noticias/ver/1717/macarena-astorga-presenta-la-casa-del-caracol-un-thriller-psicologico-de-terror-protagonizado-por-paz-vega-y-javier-rey|website=Festival de Málaga|title=Macarena Astorga presenta 'La casa del caracol' un thriller psicológico de terror protagonizado por Paz Vega y Javier Rey|date=7 June 2021}}</ref> The mysterious folks and the village are connected to superstitions and rumours about a strange and frightening creature known as El Vímero.<ref name="lopez" />
== Cast == {{Cast listing| * Javier Rey as Antonio Prieto<ref name="ddsevilla">{{Cite web|url=https://www.diariodesevilla.es/ocio/Paz-Vega-adentra-thriller-fantastico_0_1581143928.html|website=Diario de Sevilla|title=Paz Vega se adentra en el 'thriller' fantástico con 'La casa del caracol'|date=7 June 2021|first=Alicia|last=García Arribas|publisher=Grupo Joly}}</ref> * Paz Vega as Berta<ref name="ddsevilla" /> * {{ill|Norma Martínez|es}} as Carmen<ref name="filmax">{{Cite web|url=https://www.filmax.com/distribucion/la-casa-del-caracol.193|website=Filmax|access-date=26 November 2022|title=La casa del caracol}}</ref> * Pedro Casablanc as Sargento Mauri<ref name="filmax" /> * Carlos Alcántara as Padre Benito<ref name="filmax" /> * Elvira Mínguez as Justa<ref name="filmax" /> * Vicente Vergara as Carmelo<ref name="filmax" /> * Luna Fulgencio as Rosita<ref name="filmax" /> * Ava Salazar as Sole<ref name="filmax" /> * Jesús Carroza as Esteban<ref name="filmax" /> * Fernando Tejero as Editor<ref name="filmax" /> }}
== Production == Written by Sandra García Nieto, the screenplay is an adaptation of her own novel of the same name.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.fotogramas.es/noticias-cine/a35582168/la-casa-del-caracol-javier-rey-paz-vega-fecha-de-estreno/|website=Fotogramas|first=María|last=Aller|title='La casa del caracol': lo nuevo de Javier Rey y Paz Vega ya tiene fecha de estreno|date=22 February 2021}}</ref> Described by Macarena Astorga as "a thriller that mixes a bit of psychological horror, suspense, mystery and fantasy", ''The House of Snails'' is the director's debut feature film.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.huelvainformacion.es/ocio/Macarena-Astorga-mezcla-fantasia-caracol_0_1629737855.html|website=Huelva Información|date=16 November 2021|title=Macarena Astorga mezcla "terror y fantasía" en 'La casa del caracol'|publisher=Grupo Joly}}</ref> A joint Spanish-Peruvian-Mexican co-production, it was produced by Esto también pasará and Casita Colorá Producciones AIE alongside Bowfinger International Pictures, Basque Films, Producciones Tondero and Hippo Entertainment Group, with the participation of RTVE, Canal Sur, and Amazon Prime Video.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.diariosur.es/culturas/cine/macarena-astorga-estrenara-opera-prima-junio-20210222125947-nt.html|website=Diario Sur|date=23 February 2021|first=Francisco|last=Griñán|publisher=Grupo Vocento|title=Macarena Astorga estrenará su ópera prima en junio y se sitúa en la órbita del Festival de Málaga}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://variety.com/2020/film/global/filmax-amazon-prime-video-bowfinger-basque-films-1234763550/|first=Jamie|last=Lang|title=Filmax Swoops on Spanish Psychological Thriller 'The House of Snails' (EXCLUSIVE)|date=9 September 2020|website=Variety}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://festivaldemalaga.com/pelicula/ver/2246/La-casa-del-caracol|access-date=26 November 2022|title=La casa del caracol|publisher=Festival de Málaga}}</ref> It was shot in the mountains of the province of Málaga, including the village of {{ill|Villanueva de Cauche|es}}, belonging to the municipality of Antequera.<ref name="fmalaga" /><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.canalsur.es/noticias/cultura/una-verbena-de-cine-como-final-de-rodaje-de-la-casa-de-caracol/1617618.html|website=Canal Sur|date=20 August 2020|title=Una verbena de cine como final de rodaje de 'La casa de caracol'}}</ref>
== Release == The film was presented in the official selection of the 24th Málaga Film Festival on 7 June 2021.<ref name="lopez">{{Cite web|url=https://www.diariosur.es/festival-malaga/analisis-pelicula-casa-caracol-20210607165834-nt.html|website=Diario Sur|publisher=Grupo Vocento|first=Antonio Javier|last=López|title='La casa del caracol', terror rural con guiños al cine de los 80|date=8 June 2021}}</ref> Distributed by Filmax,<ref name="cinemania" /> it was theatrically released in Spain on 11 June 2021.{{Citation needed|date=August 2023}} It was also invited to the 27th Lima Film Festival in the Galas section, where it will be screened on 12 August 2023.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://festivaldelima.com/2023/pelicula/la-casa-del-caracol/|title=La casa del caracol|trans-title=The House of Snails|website=27 PUCP Lima Film Festival|access-date=August 9, 2023|language=es}}</ref>
== Reception == Beatriz Martínez of ''El Periódico de Catalunya'' rated the film 1 out of 5 stars, writing that "none of the elements of this film make any sense", and the film ends up becoming "an incompetent and arbitrary thriller" attempt.<ref>{{Cite web|website=El Periódico de Cataluña|title='La casa del caracol': una incompetente intriga rural|date=10 June 2021|url=https://www.elperiodico.com/es/ocio-y-cultura/20210610/casa-caracol-incompetente-intriga-rural-11810669|first=Beatriz|last=Martínez}}</ref>
Irene Crespo of ''Cinemanía'' rated the film 3 out of 5 stars underscoring as a verdict the film to be "[an] intense psychological thriller. Magical and rural realism".<ref name="cinemania">{{Cite web|url=https://www.20minutos.es/cinemania/criticas/la-casa-del-caracol-4723212/|website=Cinemanía|via=20minutos.es|date=8 June 2021|title=La casa del caracol|first=Irene|last=Crespo}}</ref>
Raquel Hernández Luján of ''HobbyConsolas'' rated the film with 50 points ("so-so") positively citing the good main actors and the well-done cinematography, whilst negatively assessing the "very poorly directed" secondary actors and the film's overly "abrupt and gimmicky" denouement, otherwise pointing out at the result being a "quite unsatisfactory" film overall.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.hobbyconsolas.com/reviews/critica-casa-caracol-adaptacion-protagonizada-javier-rey-paz-vega-880563|website=HobbyConsolas|first=Raquel|last=Hernández Luján|title=Crítica de La casa del caracol, adaptación protagonizada por Javier Rey y Paz Vega|date=10 June 2021}}</ref>
Elsa Fernández-Santos of ''El País'' considered that, despite early managing to unsettle the viewer with the atmosphere and setting, Macarena Astorga "gets totally lost when the secondary characters end up reduced to nothing and the main character leaves the viewer, to say the least, perplexed".<ref name="efdezsantos">{{Cite web|website=El País|title='La casa del caracol': el lobo viene, pero no llega|date=11 June 2021|url=https://elpais.com/cultura/2021-06-11/la-casa-del-caracol-el-lobo-viene-pero-no-llega.html|first=Elsa|last=Fernández-Santos}}</ref>
== Accolades == {{Awards table|5}} |- | rowspan = "4" align = "center" | 2022 || rowspan = "3" | 1st Carmen Awards || Best Actress || Paz Vega || {{nom}} || rowspan = "3" | <ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.diariosur.es/culturas/cine/ganadores-premios-carmen-cine-andalucia-20220129162520-nt.html|website=Diario Sur|title=Listado completo de ganadores de los Premios Carmen del Cine Andaluz|date=31 January 2022|first=C.|last=Pinto}}</ref> |- | Best New Director || Macarena Astorga || {{nom}} |- | Best Sound || Diana Sagrista || {{nom}} |- | 30th Actors and Actresses Union Awards || Best Film Actor in a Minor Role || Fernando Tejero || {{nom}} || align = "center" | <ref>{{Cite web |last=Aller |first=María |date=15 March 2022 |title=Premios Unión de Actores 2022: ''El buen patrón'' arrasa entre los premiados |trans-title=Actors and Actresses Union Awards 2022: ''The Good Boss'' sweeps among the winners |url=https://www.fotogramas.es/noticias-cine/a38998412/union-de-actores-2022-nominaciones/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220410191542/https://www.fotogramas.es/noticias-cine/a38998412/union-de-actores-2022-nominaciones/ |archive-date=10 April 2022 |access-date=11 April 2022 |website=Fotogramas |language=es}}</ref> |}
== See also == * List of Spanish films of 2021
== References == {{reflist}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:House of Snails, The}} Category:2021 psychological thriller films Category:Films set in the 1970s Category:Films set in Andalusia Category:Films about writers Category:Spanish psychological thriller films Category:Peruvian psychological thriller films Category:Mexican psychological thriller films Category:2021 Spanish films Category:2021 Peruvian films Category:2021 Mexican films Category:Films based on Spanish novels Category:2021 Spanish-language films Category:Spanish-language thriller films Category:Tondero Producciones films Category:Bowfinger International Pictures films Category:2021 directorial debut films Category:2021 films Category:Films shot in the Province of Málaga