Carmen is a 2003 film

2003 in film

The year 2003 in film involved some significant events. Releases of sequels took place with movies like The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, 2 Fast 2 Furious, Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle, The Matrix Reloaded, The Matrix Revolutions, Pokémon Heroes, Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines,...

 about the classical romance of the same name

Carmen (novella)

"Carmen" is a novella by Prosper Mérimée, written and first published in 1845. It has been adapted into a number of dramatic works, including the famous opera by Georges Bizet.-Sources:...

 by Prosper Mérimée

Prosper Mérimée

Prosper Mérimée was a French dramatist, historian, archaeologist, and short story writer. He is perhaps best known for his novella Carmen, which became the basis of Bizet's opera Carmen.-Life:...

. Director Vicente Aranda

Vicente Aranda

Vicente Aranda , is a Spanish film director, screenwriter and producer.Due to his refined and personal style, he is one of the most renowned Spanish filmmakers. He started as a founded member of the Barcelona School of Film and became known for bringing contemporary Spanish novels to life on the...

 bases the plot on Mérimée's original novella from 1847 (i.e. prior to Bizet's opera

Opera

Opera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...

 from 1875), changing some details about the love story between Carmen (Paz Vega

Paz Vega

Paz Campos Trigo , better known as Paz Vega, is a Spanish actress.- Early life :Vega was born in Seville, Andalusia, Spain to a homemaker mother and a retired bullfighter father. Vega's younger sister has performed as a flamenco dancer. Vega has described her family as "traditional" and Catholic....

) and José (Leonardo Sbaraglia

Leonardo Sbaraglia

Leonardo Máximo Sbaraglia is a prominent Argentine film actor, with extensive credits in both Argentina and Spain.He has also worked in Mexico, and was cast in his first English-language role in Red Lights.-Life and work:...

). Further adaptations include the introduction of author Mérimée (Jay Benedict

Jay Benedict

Jay Benedict is an American actor, best known in the United Kingdom for his role as Captain John Kieffer in Foyle's War .He has lived and worked in Europe since the 1960s...

) into the plot, who is portrayed as a French author who finds the "real" Carmen in early 19th century Spain

Spain

Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...

While the quality of technical realization and costumes was acknowledged, a critic deemed the actors' performance, as lack of chemistry between the two main characters, and problems of the plot, while the viewers from the website gave the film an outstanding 9.8 out of 10 stars, citing the passion and obsession were palpable throughout the whole film while the people

The film was voted the People's Favourite Film at the 2004 Birmingham Screen Festival.