'Torrente Presidente' Leads Diverse Spanish Box Office Weekend Amid International Releases

The Spanish box office is seeing a major shift this week, driven by the return of a blockbuster franchise and a collection of award-winning international films. This Friday’s lineup offers a mix of genres, ranging from domestic political satire to historical dramas and independent cinema.

The biggest headline is Torrente Presidente, the sixth film in Santiago Segura’s popular series. This time, the main character leaves his police roots behind to run for office. Starring Gabino Diego, Leo Harlem, and Ramón Langa, the film is generating buzz for its unusual release strategy: there has been no advance promotion, no press screenings, and no marketing materials released before its debut. It is a bold move that highlights Segura’s unique approach to the Spanish film market.

International releases offer a diverse range of stories. The Testament of Ann Lee, directed by Mona Fastvold and starring Amanda Seyfried, is a biopic about the leader of the Shaker movement, featuring a score that blends traditional hymns with modern compositions. French cinema is also represented by two films: Jean-Pierre Améris’s comedy No te queda otra, which follows a chance meeting on a train, and Jafsia Jerzi’s La hija pequeña. The latter, based on Fatima Daas’s autofiction and starring Nadia Melliti, arrives in theaters with strong momentum after winning the Queer Palm at Cannes and a César Award for Best New Actress.

Political dramas are also prominent this week. Cairo Conspiracy (Águilas de El Cairo) concludes Tarik Saleh’s trilogy. Starring Fares Fares, the film explores power and espionage in Egypt. Meanwhile, Stéphane Demoustier’s The Architect (El arquitecto) offers a historical look at the construction of Paris’s Grande Arche de la Défense, a film that earned eight César Award nominations.

Rounding out the week is the Spanish historical drama Las locas del Obelisco. Directed by Pablo Moreno and starring Paula Iglesias, Assumpta Serna, Javier Godino, and Jasmina G. Pizarro, the film is set in late 19th-century Madrid and tells the story of women fighting against exploitation. It is a fitting end to a week that successfully balances big-budget commercial hits with thoughtful, socially conscious cinema.