Happy New Year, Grandma! (Urte Berri On, Amona!)

Year: 2011
Country: SPAIN
Run Time: 107 minutes

Don't be deceived by the title; this is not an upbeat movie for the whole family to enjoy. In fact, this matriarch may go down in history as the scariest granny of all time. Shot in the Basque language in picturesque San Sebastian, Spain, HAPPY NEW YEAR, GRANDMA! tells the story of a very difficult 88-year-old woman who refuses to go anywhere gently. Mute but sharp-eyed Mari is being cared for by her daughter Maritxu. Her incessant demands are driving them crazy, so Maritxu's husband Joxemari decides the old bird needs to go into a home. To facilitate this, he takes his wife on a much-needed vacation while their conscientious daughter Miren and her hunting-crazed husband Kintxo take Mari away. Grandma naturally escapes from the nursing home and starts taking revenge on her family for putting her there. Is this a black comedy or a horror story? We'll let you decide. (In Basque with subtitles) – B.B.

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