BroadcastChic Excellent, a Must See

Glucedee It's hard to see any effort in the film. There's no comedy to speak of, no real drama and, worst of all.

Curapedi I cannot think of one single thing that I would change about this film. The acting is incomparable, the directing deft, and the writing poignantly brilliant.

Billy Ollie Through painfully honest and emotional moments, the movie becomes irresistibly relatable

Lucifer At first I'm gonna tell you how i found this movie. i am a EX- Muslim by the way. i have a friend who lives in Germany. i always hated Muslim refugees so he told me that i should watch this movie. so i watched it. i really loved this movie, you don't have to be a gay to watch this kind of movie, i know the meaning of true friendship. who cares if they are boy and loved each other. you can find friendship,love and emotion on this movie, and suffering. i don't know how should i write review about this movie. its so sad that Homophobea is a disease and spreading around the world like a cancer.But it was more than that. Once upon a time i was homophobic person. I hated gays and lesbians more than i hate imaginary gods. I after realized that homosexuals are humans to People, if you don't like this types of movies then don't watch. But stop saying nonsense about this. I'm from Bangladesh, a country with so much ignorance and hate. But i came to light, it's time for you to come out too. I've lost my best friend, and i miss him a lot...

JR HIDDEN AWAY (originally "A escondidas" )--- I very rarely give a movie a 9 rating, in fact I think this is only the second time I have and this movie fully deserves it. Some may not like this movie because it has some gay over tones but if you just let that pass you will see that is not what its actually about. If you are looking for sex scenes you will be wasting your time with "Hidden Away." This movie is first and foremost a genuine coming of age gemstone. It concerns a displaced Moroccan youth, Ibra, who is on the run from a quasi legal extradition order from the Spanish government which is in a full end run around its own laws to remove Arabs from its borders. Ibra, who appears to be about 16 has blown into the town where a 14 year old Spanish citizen, Raffa, resides. Ibra takes shelter at a youth hostel but has also run into the wrong company of another Arab who is a drug dealer. Raffa apparently lives a comfortable life in his home and is a rising star in his youth water polo team. He whiles away his days with his closest friend, Guille, playing water polo, smoking weed and playing video games and is accepted by his wide circle. But not all is as it seems and Raffa is now at that age where everyone is trying to force him into relationships with girls, and though he does not completely understand why, he is highly stressed by this and not at all comfortable. One evening at a local youth dance Raffa and Ibra lock eyes and Raffa is immediately drawn to this new interest in his life. Raffa goes against the normal adolescent heterosexual grain of his peers and begins working at gaining Ibra's attention. The two are both introspective and Raffa spends more and more time becoming friends with Ibra, to the detriment of his best friend Guille. However Guille is a true friend and accepts that his friend is experiencing something intense and lets him be. Eventually Raffa and Ibra begin a typical process of "sparking" as they become closer friends and eventually Raffa's friends find out the relationship is too close for their liking and he is excluded and then the extradition warrant comes a calling and everything goes south. The two boys run for it together and Raffa's one true friend, Guille, meets them and admits he doesn't understand but sheds tears with his friend as he realizes they are leaving possibly forever and he accepts Ibra because Raffa does. The movie is poignant and brings up what it is like for a boy's first love even when he doesn't first understand it. The whole process is so much better than how I have described it and if you really want to see a very touching coming of age movie I highly recommend "Hiding Away." I have told some of the story here but in no way anything but a fraction of it and you will realize this when you watch it. And I have completely left out the ending so you can experience that for yourself. It alone will touch you deeply as well as the aftermath. --- Note: In the end credits you will see a message about the passing of Alex Angulo. He played the attendant at the youth hostel and was killed in a car accident in 2014 (Alex Angula born Alejandro Angulo León 1953 - 2014)

Tom Dooley Original title for this Spanish gem is 'A escondidas'. Rafa is fourteen and hangs around with his mates – some of whom are less than mature. They are also very 'anti Arab' and display the usual teenage attitudes towards sex – being default heterosexual. He plays water polo in his spare time and then his path crosses with a strikingly good looking Moroccan boy called Ibrahim. Ibra as his friends call him lives in a hostel and has no-one back in his native home. The authorities though are falling over themselves to repatriate as many people as possible and do not always want the letter of the law getting in their way.With that as the backdrop Rafa has an immediate liking for this new kid and goes out of his way to get the attention of Ibra. He is though crossing more than one line by so doing but Rafa is a tryer and god knows we all love one of them – this is their story.This film is brilliantly acted with a script that gives life and clarity to a very real situation that most of us would never think we would be in. The music is excellent too I spotted the much under rated Fanfarlo in the mix but there is not a full listing on IMDb so I will keep an eye out for the other bands used here as they were all great.Yes this is essentially a gay themed drama but there is no bedroom antics – this is more about teen, first love under extreme circumstances and the friendship that such feelings can induce. I thoroughly enjoyed this and can highly recommend it to not just lovers of gay cinema but anyone who loves a ruddy good love story.

carlesmiquel When you have a fantastic script, a serious director and the perfect cast it's almost impossible not to make a good film. Well, with A Escondidas (Hidden Away... not the best translation) Director Mikel Rueda set a new standard.The story is overwhelming in a subtle, almost muted sense, but overwhelming anyway. The sound landscapes, the colours, the music, and some almost illogical sequences push the audience into a roller-coaster of unnerving feelings and cast a deep shadow not seen but felt throughout the journey of the film. That journey will leave scars, that may heal someday with love. It's a journey of self-discovery, of life, of hate, of love. The characters will get you to places you don't want to go, but you have to, you simply can't shake the grip of their hands... they want to show you what's going on inside them.Some scenes are masterful pieces of acting. There will be a moment in which your heart will explode with emotions and that can't be helped, nor undone. You'll be smitten. You'll be pulled in a world you don't want to know anything about, yet -you will. Calling these young actors superb is not an overstatement. It's exactly what they are. Maybe the most beautiful thing is revealing what's happening inside your soul through your eyes, and these kids did it without flinching. Not only believable, they are real.Carrying most of the weight of the film is Germán Alcarazu when he was 15 playing the part of Rafa . Pairing with best friend Guille (Joseba Ugalde) and new Moroccan friend Ibra (Adil Koukouh), he's our guide. Their friends will show us what denial and real love are about.Since my intention is not to reveal the story, please watch the film. You'll be rewarded with pure magic.