Love in Self Defense

Love in Self Defense is a 2006 Spanish romantic drama film written, directed, and scored by Rafa Russo in his directorial feature debut. It stars Ana Fernández and Gustavo Garzón.

Plot

Set in Spain's eastern coast, the plot follows the twisted relationship established between an idle woman claiming to be a painter and an Argentinian former football player turned scammer upon their meeting in a bar.

Production

The film was produced by Mediapro alongside NBCUniversal Global Networks, and it had the participation of Antena 3. It was shot in the provinces of Barcelona and Tarragona.

Release

The film premiered in competition at the 9th Málaga Film Festival in March 2006. Distributed by UIP, it was theatrically released in Spain on 9 June 2006.

Reception

Jonathan Holland of Variety assessed that the "absorbing, slow-burning" film stars out "like a scam movie", "quickly mutating into something far more distinctive and emotionally complex", shining through its "commitment to its offbeat premise and its emotional truth".
Casimiro Torreiro of El País considered that the film abounds in situations that are very difficult to capture on film, failing at "building up plausible psychologies for its characters".