Benito Zambrano’s Lemon and Poppy Seed Cake is one of the special screenings of the 66th edition of Seminci as well as being included in the programme of the RTVE Gala. The director himself attended the film’s Valladolid premiere at Teatro Zorrilla accompanied by the film’s top cast members Elia Galera and Eva Martín; Teresa Font, the movie’s editor; Cristina Campos, the author of the homonymous book (ed. Planeta) on which the script is based; Carlos Fernández and Laura Fernández, producers; and Amalia Martínez de Velasco, director of General Contents for RTVE.
The film’s delegation gave a few brushstrokes about a movie which, in the words of Amalia Martínez, “will make people cry” and whose theatrical release is scheduled for November 12. Benito Zambrano stressed that “cinema is an art form that is created by a team of people, and when a film turns out well, the credit goes not only to the director, but to all the enthusiasm that all themovie’s cast and crew put into it.” The director was pleased to see himself surrounded by part of that team during the film’s presentation at Seminci and thanked Carlos Fernández and Laura Fernández for making the project possible.
Lemon and Poppy Seed Cake tells the story of two women who end up taking sole control of their lives. The plot focuses on the disagreement between two sisters who were separated in adolescence and who, already in their adult life, allow their relationship to cool down. The vicissitudes of their lives, and an old inheritance, brings them together again in a process of reconciliation and family discoveries that runs parallel to their iron will to solve problems of all kinds.
And yes, Amalia Martínez’s prediction was fulfilled. Those attending the screening at Teatro Zorrilla not only had to take out their handkerchiefs: they also stood up to applaud a team that, after the screening, melted into a big hug.