Co-scripted with ¡Viva! ’99 guest Julio Medem, Bollaín’s feature directorial début earned her a Goya nomination and box office success. It’s a leisurely paced exploration of the friendship between two young women that takes place on the road. Moody La Niña (TIERRA siren Silke) and her bubbly pal Trini (Peña) leave their rundown Madrid neighbourhood behind and hit the road in search of money, love and a life of their own. Their ensuing encounters with Niña’s mother, a Russian sailor, elderly Brits and a comic bartender offer both enriching experiences and serious tests of their friendship. Bollaín observes with a sympathetic eye, shaping her film with humour and understanding. + The Friends of the Dead Man Dir Icíar Bollaín, Sp 1994, 10m, Subtitled Carlos is celebrating his fiftieth birthday with several friends. The police have a dead body and seven suspects – all with a reason to kill Carlos and all friends of the dead man.