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134m
SPA26: The Captive
Book Tickets
Synopsis
Australian premiere
El cautivo
An ambitious and thrilling historical adventure drama from award-winning director Alejandro Amenábar (While at War, The Sea Inside), starring Julio Peña (Through My Window) and Alessandro Borghi (The Eight Mountains), The Captive is an enthralling tale about the power of stories that cleverly combines truth, history and fiction.
1575, Algiers.
Miguel de Cervantes (Peña), a wounded 28-year-old Spanish Navy soldier and the future author of Don Quixote, is held prisoner by Ottoman corsairs. Faced with a ticking clock, a cruel death awaits him should his fellow countrymen fail to pay his ransom soon. But within the confines of his cell, Cervantes discovers a surprising refuge in the art of storytelling.
Crafted from resilience and hope, his stories enthrall his fellow captives and spark the attention of Hasan (Borghi), the enigmatic and feared Bey of Algiers. With a secret affinity ignited between captor and captive, suspicions begin to rise amidst growing tensions in the city. But, driven by an unwavering sense of optimism, Cervantes devises a daring plan for freedom.
Festivals & Awards
OFFICIAL SELECTION - Toronto International Film Festival 2025
WINNER - Audience Award, José María Forqué Awards 2025
WINNER - Best New Actor, Cinema Writers Circle Awards 2026
Spain, Italy | Spanish, Arabic, Italian with English subtitles
Rating
M
Length
134m
Reviews
It’s a feast for the senses that never slows down.
As both a story about the magic of telling stories and a morality play about national identity and religious persecution, it’s a handsomely made, compulsively watchable film.
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