el ultimo mono tenerife festival

Spanish comedy ‘El último mono’ premieres at Tenerife festival

Spanish cinema finds a home in Tenerife

Spanish cinema has once again found a space for gathering and reflection in Tenerife, with the presentation of the film El último mono as part of the Lo que viene festival. The festival draws to a close with this screening, following a week packed with activities held between Espacio La Recova and TEA Tenerife Espacio de las Artes. The event brought together a large group of national directors, producers and actors to showcase previews of the upcoming film season.

The presentation of the film, directed by Joaquín Mazón, brought together industry professionals in a setting very different from a conventional preview screening, allowing creators and journalists to exchange impressions before the film arrives in commercial cinemas, scheduled for 7 August.

A comedy with a social conscience

Starring Juan Dávila alongside Susana Abaitua, the film is a comedy with a strong social component, set in the city of Valencia against the backdrop of an International Women’s Day demonstration. It tells the story of Alejandro, a seduction guru who finds success on the internet and takes on a challenge from his followers: to win over Mariela, a feminist comedian and his biggest online rival, in just three days.

For the team, showing the film in a professional environment like this represents a unique opportunity. “It’s very different from presenting it at a festival that is a bit more open to the public,” explains Mazón, who particularly values the direct contact with fellow professionals. “It’s nice for other colleagues to see it and for us to be able to discuss it with journalists.”

Meanwhile, actor Juan Dávila, who is visiting the Canary Islands these days alongside the director to present the film, agrees in highlighting the experience and stresses that this type of screening allows them to gauge the response before the official release. “We’ve seen that the film worked and that people had a great time,” they noted, referring to the exclusive screening that took place on Wednesday evening. This early temperature check is crucial for a comedy that seeks a balance between humour and reflection.

“There’s a middle ground here that helps us start that warm-up,” says Mazón, who admits he even witnessed unexpected reactions. “There was a lot of laughter at moments I wasn’t expecting.”

Filmed in Valencia’s iconic locations

The film was shot entirely in Valencia, making use of iconic spaces such as the Plaza de la Reina and recreating the atmosphere of the 8M Women’s Day protests with a significant production effort. “There was something very key, which was the Women’s Day demonstration,” explains the director, who defends the choice of setting as a fundamental narrative element.

El último mono revolves around complex and contradictory characters and tackles sensitive subjects through humour. “It’s a politically incorrect film,” admits Juan Dávila, who highlights the care needed in constructing the characters. “We had to be very careful about where each one was positioned.” In that regard, Mazón emphasises the team’s joint effort to find the right tone. “We were very precise so that it wouldn’t generate rejection.”

Dávila’s performance through his character Alejandro, in particular, brings nuance to a deliberately uncomfortable protagonist: “He has given the character humanity and tenderness.” Susana Abaitua’s presence has also been key to the development of the story, providing a complementary perspective. “She has given us a discourse from a place we don’t know,” both the actor and director acknowledge, highlighting the importance of integrating different perspectives in a story that, far from offering closed answers, seeks to open debate.

Creating debate beyond the cinema

“I think it’s a film that can create debate, even among couples,” says Dávila, touching on one of the film’s objectives: to extend the experience beyond the cinema. “You laugh a lot, then you go for dinner and you’re talking about it,” he adds.

Their time in Tenerife has also served as a meeting point for an industry that, according to the creators themselves, is often experienced in isolation. “It’s a sector where you find yourself very alone with your dreams,” reflects Mazón, who values the importance of sharing spaces like this. “I think it adds a lot and builds a family.”

Beyond the anecdotes, the team champions the value of cinema in the screening room, which becomes a collective experience. “I make films to be seen in cinemas,” insists Joaquín Mazón, who also stresses the importance of shared laughter. “The feeling of laughing with the people around you is wonderful.”

Aiming for a wide release

With a release planned on a large scale, El último mono aims to connect with audiences through humour that invites both laughter and reflection. “It’s the typical film you go to see with friends or your partner and then keep talking about afterwards,” ventures Juan Dávila.

In Tenerife, the feature film has already taken its first steps before the industry, but the next stage is to see whether that connection translates to the general public, confirming the positive feelings left by its appearance at Lo que viene.

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