The Swiss director Peter Luizi’s comedy-drama “The Sandman” continues the fantasy theme. And to coincide with this week’s significant event—the Mayan apocalypse—there is also a film of the same name, directed by the Spanish filmmaker Jorge Torregrosa. Another film from Spanish filmmakers is the charming Salma Hayek’s new drama “The Last Spark of Life.”

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

Year: 2012
Countries: USA, New Zealand
Director: Peter Jackson
Screenplay: Francis Walsh, Philippa Boyens, Peter Jackson
Producers: Carolyn Cunningham, Peter Jackson, Francis Walsh
Cameraman: Andrew Lesnie
Genre: Fantasy, adventure

Starring: Martin Freeman, Ian McKellen, Richard Armitage, James Nesbitt, Ken Stott, Kate Blanchett, Eliza Wood, Hugo Weaving, Christopher Lee.

The film tells the story of Bilbo Baggins, who embarks on a grand adventure aimed at reclaiming the lost kingdom of the dwarves, Erebor, from the evil dragon Smaug. Unexpectedly, the wizard Gandalf contacts Bilbo, and he joins a group of thirteen dwarves led by the legendary warrior Thorin Oakenshield. Their journey takes them through dangerous territories inhabited by goblins, orcs, deadly wargs, giant spiders, skin-shifting creatures, and wizards. Although their goal is in the East, among the desolate lands of Mordor, they must first escape from the goblin tunnels, where Bilbo meets an entity that will change his life forever… Gollum. There, alone with Gollum by a underground lake, the unassuming Bilbo discovers hidden cunning and courage within himself—and he also comes into possession of Gollum’s “precious” ring, which possesses unexpected and powerful properties… A simple gold ring that is tied to the fate of Middle-earth in ways Bilbo could never have imagined.

The Sandman

Year: 2011
Country: Switzerland
Director: Peter Luizi
Screenplay: Peter Luizi
Producers: David Luizi, Peter Luizi, Dominic Kaizer
Cameraman: Lorenzo Merz
Genre: Fantasy, drama, comedy

Starring: Fabian Kruger, Irene Brügger, Bit Schletter, Florin Elena Deplazes, Kaspar Weiss, Zigi Terpoorten, Michel Gammentaler, Urs Jücker, Tis Moser, Max Rüdlinger.