El ser querido: Bardem and Luengo reunite in Sorogoyen's drama

El ser querido, the new film by Rodrigo Sorogoyen, opens in Spanish cinemas on 26 August 2026 after competing at the Cannes Film Festival. Starring Javier Bardem and Victoria Luengo, the drama follows Esteban Martínez, a celebrated director with a violent, excessive past, who offers his estranged daughter Emilia, a struggling actress, a role in his new film, forcing them to confront years of abandonment and unresolved conflict Source: excelsiormx.

Critical reception

Reviews are largely positive, with several critics awarding four or five stars. El Mundo calls it a "película sobre el perdón" and praises its "fulgurante y perfecto arranque" Source: elmundoes. ABC highlights the film's "flujo de la sangre y el influjo del cine," noting Bardem's "despiadada profesionalidad" Source: abces. La Vanguardia describes it as a "magnífico thriller sentimental" Source: lavanguardia. However, El Español offers a more mixed view, calling it a "desequilibrada carta de amor al cine" with too many scenes conceived as "magistrales" Source: elespanol.

Performances and themes

The film centers on the intense father-daughter dynamic, with critics singling out the opening 18-minute restaurant scene as a highlight Source: elmundoes. Luengo's performance is widely praised; she reportedly "empapeló la habitación con su cara" to prepare for the role Source: El Confidencial. The narrative explores themes of abandonment, forgiveness, and the love of cinema, set against a film-within-a-film about the Spanish Sahara Source: elconfidencial.

Context

Bardem, in a separate interview, discussed his own parenting, stating that "uno de los dos debe estar siempre con ellos" regarding his rule with Penélope Cruz Source: lavanguardia. The film is produced by Movistar Plus and is considered a strong contender for Spain's Oscar submission, though it faces competition from 'La bola negra' Source: infobae.