Smoke & Mirrors (Spanish: El hombre de las mil caras) is a 2016 Spanish thriller film directed by Alberto Rodríguez based on the 2006 non-fiction book Paesa, el espía de las mil caras by Manuel Cerdán.[2] The film stars Eduard Fernández as Francisco Paesa, a former agent of the Spanish secret service who faked his own death after an infamous corruption scandal. The film premiered at the 64th San Sebastián International Film Festival, where it was awarded the Silver Shell for Best Actor for Eduard Fernández.[3] It was also screened at the 2016 London Film Festival.[4]
| Smoke & Mirrors | |
|---|---|
 Film poster (international) | |
| Spanish | El hombre de las mil caras |
| Directed by | Alberto Rodríguez |
| Screenplay by |
|
| Based on | Paesa, el espía de las mil caras by Manuel Cerdán |
| Starring |
|
| Cinematography | Alex Catalán |
| Music by | Julio de la Rosa |
Production companies | |
| Distributed by | Film Factory Entertainment[1] |
Release dates |
|
Running time | 123 minutes |
| Country | Spain |
| Language | Spanish |
Plot
Francisco Paesa — an ex-secret agent for the Spanish government who was instrumental in the most important operation against the Basque terrorist group ETA — is framed by his own government and forced to leave the country. When he is finally able to return to Spain, he is broke and his personal life is falling apart. It is then he receives a visit from Luis Roldán, the powerful former Commissioner of Police who offers him one million dollars for help with safeguarding twelve million dollars embezzled by Roldán from the police budget. Paesa plans revenge in order to seize Roldán’s money, fooling an entire country in a brilliant and intricate operation worthy of the best illusionist.
Cast
- Eduard Fernández as Francisco Paesa
- José Coronado as Jesús Camoes
- Marta Etura as Nieves Fernández Puerto
- Carlos Santos as Luis Roldán
- Enric Benavent as Casturelli
- Alba Galocha as Beatriz
- Philippe Rebbot as Jean-Pierre Pinaud
- Pedro Casablanc as Abogado de Paesa
- Israel Elejalde as González
- Tomás del Estal as Bermejo
- Jons Pappila as Arlauckas
- Luis Callejo as Juan Alberto Belloch
- Mireia Portas as Gloria
- Craig Stevenson as Georges Starckman
- Emilio Gutiérrez Caba as Osorno
- Christian Stamm as Hans
- Ramón Rados as Rafael Vera
- Agustín Galiana as Tipo Filatelia
