Film about the Spanish comedian Miguel Gila, with Portuguese artistic and technical contribution.

One of our latest ventures is a very special feature film called “¿Es el enemigo?” (“Is this the Enemy?”). Based on the unforgettable figure of Miguel Gila, pioneer of Spanish stand-up comedy and reference humorist of the 20th century, the film concluded production and is now in full fledged post-production.

Directed by Alexis Morante, the film offers a unique perspective on the life and work of the renowned humorist. It is creating great expectations in Spain, not only due to the importance of Gila’s figure, but also because of the message it conveys as well as the creative team leading the project. Inspired by the work “El libro de Gila. Antología cómica de obra y vida”, published by Blackie Books, the script was conceived from a screenplay by José Alba and Morante himself, with additional support from Raúl Santos in the writing.

The film stars the actor, comedian, and magician Oscar Lasarte in the role of Miguel Gila, making his debut as a protagonist in a feature film. The cast also features Carlos Cuevas, Natalia De Molina, Salva Reina, Iván Villanueva, Antonio Bachiller, Adelfa Calvo, and David Elvira, and the special participation of Portuguese actors Paulo Pires and João Pedro Mamede. It is also worth noting that Miguel Santos, Portuguese composer and emerging talent, will be composing the original soundtrack of the film.

“Is this the Enemy?” presents us an optimistic narrative about a young Miguel Gila, amidst the Spanish Civil War. At the age of 17, Gila joins the conflict, surviving misery, battles, and even his own execution thanks to his gift: humor. The story is inspired by both real facts and his monologues, showing us the transformation of Miguel into Gila, the comedian known to all in Spain, and reimagining all those moments that inspired his jokes.

Filmed in various locations in the Basque Country, “Is this the Enemy?” is a production of Pecado Films, Arcadia Motion Pictures, and Philmo Capital AIE, in co-production with Nu Boyana Portugal

Our VFX team at NBFX, has began the work on the visual effects, which includes the creation and integration of period vehicles and combat planes, set extension of battle scenes, and the recreation of Madrid in the first half of the 20th century – before and after the war.
Pedro Domingo and Celine Fernandes, respectively the CEO and International Business Director of Nu Boyana opted into the project after reading the script. For Pedro “exquisitely portrays Gila’s personality with humor and tenderness, which characterize him, without neglecting the raw and barbaric side of war.”

Like most Portuguese people, Celine’s first encounter with Gila’s humor was indirect, and came from Raúl Solnado’s well-known sketch: “A História da Minha Ida à Guerra de 1908”. A resounding success in the 1960s – still echoing today – Solnado’s sketch invents a war that never existed in reality: that of 1908, so as not to offend the patriotic sensibilities of the censors of the Portuguese dictatorship. However, Gila’s war was very real, as were the events that inspire this feature film. For Celine, “the biographical aspect, Miguel Gila’s subjectivity, which describes the war from a unique, timeless, and relevant point of view in the times we live in, as well as Alexis Morante’s tragicomic vision, will definately move the audience.”

For Alexis Morante (director and screenwriter): “Approaching the origins of Gila’s figure through fiction allowed me to explore universal themes as delicate as war and peer conflict from a tragicomic and emotional perspective, as well as to build a narrative that is sustained in that unique way of seeing life through Gila’s eyes. In this film, we tell where his personality and humor come from and, simultaneously, we explore how a country moves towards self-destruction to be reborn from the ashes – all of this told with humor.”