The Sea Inside

Template:Short description Template:Infobox film The Sea Inside (Template:Langx) is a 2004 psychological drama film co-written and directed by Alejandro Amenábar, who also co-produced, scored and edited. It is based on the real-life story of Ramón Sampedro (played by Javier Bardem), who was left quadriplegic after a diving accident, and his 28-year campaign in support of euthanasia and the right to end his life. The film won the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film.

Plot

This is the life story of Spaniard Ramón Sampedro, who fought a 28-year campaign to win the right to end his own life with assisted suicide. The film explores Ramón's relationships with two women: Julia, a lawyer suffering from Cadasil syndrome who supports his cause, and Rosa, a local woman who wants to convince him that his life is worth living. Through the gift of his love, these two women are inspired to accomplish things they never previously thought possible.

Ramón, now 54 years old, has been fighting for 26 years for his right to die following a diving incident which left him paralysed from the neck down. He is unable to end his life by himself and does not wish to implicate his family or friends, as by Spanish law, they would be charged with murder or assisting a suicide. Following the death of his mother, he is cared for by his sister-in-law, Manuela. Ramón's elder brother José does not believe he should have the right to die; both Manuela and her son, Javier, believe in his case.

Ramón's friend Gené, who works for an organization fighting for the right to die, puts him in contact with Julia, a lawyer. As she seeks to learn more about him and his situation in order to fight for his cause, he recounts his past and his reasons for wanting to die: He says that there is no dignity in living paralysed. After seeing his story online, Rosa visits Ramón to convince him to live. He demands that she respect his wishes and she leaves, upset. Later, whilst DJing her part-time radio show, she apologises on air in the hopes that he is listening. She continues to visit, bringing her children, and the two strike up a friendship. Despite romantic interest in both women, Ramón maintains that he is spoken for by death.

Julia reads Ramón's memoir describing his life and experiences as a quadriplegic and urges him to publish it. He imagines flying from his bed to visit her on the beach. Later, she is hospitalised with a stroke and admitted to rehab to relearn how to walk. The two write letters to each other, sending updates of their lives. Ramón loses a court case for his right to die. Rosa, in tears, appears at his house and Ramón admits that he has planned a way to commit suicide without the direct and obvious involvement of anyone else.

Meanwhile, Padre Francisco, a quadriplegic Catholic priest, comes to convince Ramón to want to live. Ramón refuses to be carried downstairs and so the two men converse through the help of a church boy, who runs up and down to share their arguments. Angry and upset, Manuela asks him to leave. Julia visits to assist Ramón in writing his memoir whilst his family and friends discuss his right to die. Divided, they fight. But Ramón is unwavering in his wish. Again, he imagines that he is able-bodied, kissing Julia. Later, she admits that her condition will only become more severe and that she is planning to kill herself. But first, she would like to help Ramón.

Ramón and Javier work together to design and build a wheelchair for him in which he can appear in court to fight for his own right to die. His appeal is ultimately rejected, but Ramón eventually fulfils his wish nonetheless. Each of his friends and family complete a small action in his death; not enough to convict any of them of his murder or assisting his suicide. He records himself on a video camera, narrating his own death, before ingesting a cyanide-laced drink that kills him.

Cast

Sampedro family

• Javier Bardem as Ramón Sampedro
• Celso Bugallo as José Sampedro, Ramón's elder brother
• Mabel Rivera as Manuela, José's wife and Ramón's caregiver
• Tamar Novas as Javier Sampedro, Ramón's nephew
• Joan Dalmau as Joaquín Sampedro, Ramón and José's father

Ramon's friends

• Belén Rueda as Julia
• Alberto Jiménez as Germán, Julia's husband
• Lola Dueñas as Rosa
• Nicolás Fernández Luna as Cristian, Rosa's elder son
• Raúl Lavisier as Samuel, her younger son
• Clara Segura as Gené
• Francesc Garrido as Marc, Gené's husband

Others

• Josep Maria Pou as Padre Francisco, a quadriplegic Catholic priest
• Alberto Amarilla as Hermano Andrés
• Andrea Occhipinti as Santiago
• Federico Pérez Rey as Conductor (Driver)
• Xosé Manuel Olveira as Juez 1 (Judge 1)
• César Cambeiro as Juez 2
• Xosé Manuel Esperanto as Periodista 1 (Reporter 1)
• Yolanda Muiños as Periodista 2
• Adolfo Obregón as Ejecutivo (Executive)
• José Luis Rodríguez as Presentador (TV host)
• Julio Jordán as Encuadernador (Bookbinder)
• Juan Manuel Vidal as Amigo Ramón (Ramón's friend)
• Marta Larralde as Muchacha en la playa (Girl on beach)
• Jacob Ahlgren as himself (Baller)

Reception

Critical response

The film received positive reviews from critics. It currently holds an 85% rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 133 reviews, with an average rating of 7.6/10. Its consensus summary states: "Held aloft by a transfixing performance from Javier Bardem as a terminally ill man who chooses to die, The Sea Inside transcends its melodramatic story with tenderness and grace."<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Metacritic assigned the film a weighted average score of 74 out of 100, based on 38 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Accolades

Award	Category	Nominee(s)	Result
Academy Awards<ref name="77thOscar">Template:Cite news</ref>	Best Foreign Language Film		Template:Won
	Best Makeup	Jo Allen and Manolo García	Template:Nom
AARP Movies for Grownups Awards<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Best Foreign Film		Template:Nom
Actors and Actresses Union Awards	Leading Male Film Performance	Javier Bardem	Template:Won
	Secondary Male Film Performance	Celso Bugallo	Template:Won
	Secondary Female Film Performance	Lola Dueñas	Template:Won
		Mabel Rivera	Template:Nom
	Minor Male Film Performance	Joan Dalmau	Template:Nom
	Male Newcomer	Tamar Novas	Template:Won
	Female Newcomer	Belén Rueda	Template:Won
ADIRCAE Awards	Best Performance in a Leading Role	Javier Bardem	Template:Won
Argentine Film Critics Association Awards<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Best Foreign Film, Spanish Language		Template:Won
Ariel Awards<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Best Ibero-American Film	Alejandro Amenábar	Template:Nom
Awards Circuit Community Awards	Best Foreign Language Film		Template:Nom
Bangkok International Film Festival<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Best Film	Alejandro Amenábar	Template:Won
	Best Actor	Javier Bardem	Template:Won
BBC Four World Cinema Awards	BBC Four World Cinema Award		Template:Nom
Belgian Film Critics Association Awards<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>	Grand Prix	Alejandro Amenábar	Template:Nom
Butaca Awards	Best Catalan Film Actor	Joan Dalmau	Template:Nom
Camerimage<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Golden Frog	Javier Aguirresarobe	Template:Nom
Canadian Network of Makeup Artists Awards	Best International Make-Up for a Feature Film	Jo Allen	Template:Won
César Awards	Best Foreign Film	Alejandro Amenábar	Template:Nom
Cinema Brazil Grand Prize	Best Foreign Language Film		Template:Nom
Cinema Writers Circle Awards	Best Film		Template:Nom
	Best Director	Alejandro Amenábar	Template:Nom
	Best Actor	Javier Bardem	Template:Won
	Best Supporting Actor	Celso Bugallo	Template:Nom
	Best Supporting Actress	Lola Dueñas	Template:Won
		Mabel Rivera	Template:Nom
	Best Screenplay – Original	Alejandro Amenábar and Mateo Gil	Template:Nom
	Best Cinematography	Javier Aguirresarobe	Template:Won
	Best Editing	Alejandro Amenábar	Template:Nom
	Best Score		Template:Nom
	Best New Artist	Belén Rueda	Template:Won
CinEuphoria Awards	Top Films of the Decade – International Competition	Alejandro Amenábar	Template:Won
Cinéfest Sudbury International Film Festival	Audience Choice Award		Template:Won
Critics' Choice Movie Awards<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Best Foreign Language Film		Template:Won
	Best Actor	Javier Bardem	Template:Nom
David di Donatello Awards<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Best European Film	Alejandro Amenábar	Template:Won
European Film Awards<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	European Film	Alejandro Amenábar and Fernando Bovaira	Template:Nom
	European Director	Alejandro Amenábar	Template:Won
	European Actor	Javier Bardem	Template:Won
	European Screenwriter	Alejandro Amenábar and Mateo Gil	Template:Nom
	European Cinematographer	Javier Aguirresarobe	Template:Nom
Film Critics Circle of Australia Awards	Best Foreign Language Film		Template:Won
Forqué Awards<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Best Film		Template:Won
Fotogramas de Plata	Best Spanish Film	Alejandro Amenábar	Template:Won
	Best Movie Actor	Javier Bardem	Template:Won
	Best Movie Actress	Belén Rueda	Template:Won
Gold Derby Awards<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Best Foreign Language Film		Template:Nom
Golden Globe Awards<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Best Foreign Language Film		Template:Won
	Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama	Javier Bardem	Template:Nom
Goya Awards<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Best Film		Template:Won
	Best Director	Alejandro Amenábar	Template:Won
	Best Actor	Javier Bardem	Template:Won
	Best Actress	Lola Dueñas	Template:Won
	Best Supporting Actor	Celso Bugallo	Template:Won
	Best Supporting Actress	Mabel Rivera	Template:Won
	Best Original Screenplay	Alejandro Amenábar and Mateo Gil	Template:Won
	Best New Actor	Tamar Novas	Template:Won
	Best New Actress	Belén Rueda	Template:Won
	Best Art Direction	Benjamín Fernández	Template:Nom
	Best Cinematography	Javier Aguirresarobe	Template:Won
	Best Makeup and Hairstyles	Jo Allen, Mara Collazo, Manolo García and Ana López Puigcerver	Template:Won
	Best Original Score	Alejandro Amenábar	Template:Won
	Best Production Direction	Emiliano Otegui	Template:Won
	Best Sound	Ricardo Steinberg, Alfonso Raposo, Juan Ferro and María Steinberg	Template:Won
Guild of German Art House Cinemas Awards	Best Foreign Film	Alejandro Amenábar	Template:Won
Hollywood Film Awards	Hollywood European Award		Template:Won
Independent Spirit Awards<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Best Foreign Language Film		Template:Won
Italian Online Movie Awards	Best Actor	Javier Bardem	Template:Nom
	Best Makeup		Template:Nom
Latin ACE Awards	Cinema – Best Film		Template:Won
	Cinema – Best Director	Alejandro Amenábar	Template:Nom
	Cinema – Best Actor	Javier Bardem	Template:Nom
	Cinema – Best Actress	Belén Rueda	Template:Nom
	Cinema – Best Supporting Actor	Celso Bugallo	Template:Nom
	Cinema – Best Supporting Actress	Lola Dueñas	Template:Won
		Mabel Rivera	Template:Nom
London Film Critics Circle Awards	Foreign Language Film of the Year		Template:Nom
Nantes Spanish Film Festival	Audience Award	Alejandro Amenábar	Template:Won
National Board of Review Awards<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Top Foreign Films		Template:Won
	Best Foreign Language Film		Template:Won
Ondas Awards<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Cinemanía Award	Alejandro Amenábar	Template:Won
Palm Springs International Film Festival	Best Narrative Feature	Template:Won
Russian National Movie Awards<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Best Independent Movie		Template:Nom
San Diego Film Critics Society Awards	Best Foreign Language Film		Template:Won
Sant Jordi Awards	Best Film	Alejandro Amenábar	Template:Won
	Best Spanish Film		Template:Won
	Best Spanish Actor	Javier Bardem	Template:Won
	Best Spanish Actress	Mabel Rivera	Template:Won
Satellite Awards<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Best Foreign Language Film		Template:Won
	Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama	Javier Bardem	Template:Nom
SESC Film Festival	Best Foreign Actor		Template:Won
Sofia International Film Festival	Audience Award	Alejandro Amenábar	Template:Won
	Audience Award 'Silver Sea-Gull'		Template:Won
Spanish Music Awards	Best Score		Template:Won
Turia Awards	Best Spanish Film		Template:Won
Turkish Film Critics Association Awards	Best Foreign Film		Template:Draw
citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Best Foreign Language Film		Template:Won
Venice International Film Festival<ref name="OfficialAwards">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Golden Lion	Alejandro Amenábar	Template:Nom
	Grand Jury Prize	Template:Won
	Best International Film	Template:Won
	Best Actor	Javier Bardem	Template:Won
World Soundtrack Awards<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Best Original Score of the Year	Alejandro Amenábar	Template:Nom
Yoga Awards	Worst Spanish Score	Template:Won

See also

• List of Spanish films of 2004
• List of submissions to the 77th Academy Awards for Best Foreign Language Film
• List of Spanish submissions for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film
• Whose Life Is It Anyway? (1981)

External links

• Promotional site for US region
• [https://www.imdb.com/{{#if: 0369702

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• The Sea Inside in Encyclopedia of Contemporary Spanish Film. Eds. Alex Pinar and Salvador Jimenez Murguia. Rowman & Littlefield, 2018