Manolete (film)
Manolete is a 2008 biographical drama about the Spanish bullfighter Manuel Laureano Rodríguez Sánchez, better known as Manolete. Written and directed by Menno Meyjes, the film stars Adrien Brody as Manolete and Penélope Cruz as Lupe Sino, with supporting roles from Santiago Segura, Ann Mitchell, and Juan Echanove. The story follows Manolete’s late-life romance with actress Lupe Sino and his fatal bullfight, against a backdrop of political scandal tied to Sino’s past marriage.
The movie was an ambitious production with a budget around $28 million, produced by Iberoamericana Films, Producción Future Films, Manolete Productions, Quinta Communications, and related partners. It was the first HandMade Films project since Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels. Filmed mostly in 2005, the project faced delays and budget overruns, and despite plans for a 2007 release, it did not secure a wide theatrical run in several countries. The film premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival on August 28, 2008, and has been released under different titles in various regions: The Passion Within (UK), Blood and Passion (Canada), and A Matador’s Mistress (US). It runs 92 minutes and is presented in English and Spanish.
Release and distribution progressed slowly, with Gravitas Ventures acquiring video-on-demand rights and Xenon Pictures later releasing a revised DVD edition. The production drew criticism from animal-rights groups, who objected to the portrayal of bullfighting, although the film’s bull scenes were shot without real bulls. Manolete remains a stylized look at the life of a famed matador and his romance, culminating in his death in the bullring.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 05:13 (CET).