# Anchor and Hope

Anchor and Hope (Spanish: Tierra firme) is a 2017 Spanish-British romantic comedy-drama film directed by Carlos Marques-Marcet. The screenplay, written by Marques-Marcet and Jules Nurrish, was inspired by Maternidades subversivas by María Llopis (Spain, 2015). It stars Oona Chaplin, Natalia Tena, David Verdaguer, and Geraldine Chaplin. The film had its world premiere at the BFI London Film Festival on 10 October 2017.

## Plot

Eva and Kat's humble, yet carefree, life in their London canal boat is turned upside down when Eva gives Kat an ultimatum: she wants a child. Kat resists, knowing that it will end the bohemian lifestyle she's always envisaged with Eva. When Kat's best friend from Barcelona, Roger, stops by to party with them, the three toy around with the idea of creating a baby together. Feeling backed into a corner, Kat consents. Surprisingly, the unusual do-it-yourself donor insemination is successful. As Eva enjoys her pregnancy and Roger fantasizes about his role in the new family, Kat begins to feel like a third wheel and starts to distance herself. When Eva has an unexpected miscarriage, everyone's true feelings are laid bare, leading Eva and Kat to break up while Roger prepares to go back to Barcelona. The three soon realize, however, that they can't survive without each other, and a new journey begins to build a family.

## Cast

* Oona Chaplin as Eva
* Natalia Tena as Kat
* David Verdaguer as Roger
* Geraldine Chaplin as Germaine
* Becky Bullman as Vicky
* Lara Rossi as Jinx

## Development and production

The screenplay was influenced by the 2015 political book Maternidades subversivas by María Llopis. Principal photography began in London on 5 September 2016.
Anchor and Hope was produced by Lastor Media, Vennerfilm, and La Panda Productions, with financing also provided by the Department of Culture of the Generalitat de Catalunya and the MEDIA Programme of Creative Europe.
Avalon Distribución acquired the distribution rights in Spain for Tierra firme (Anchor and Hope) in August 2017. International rights for Anchor and Hope was acquired by Visit Films in October 2017. In May 2018, Network acquired the distribution rights to the United Kingdom from Visit Films, with rights to the United States picked up by Wolfe Releasing.

## Release

Anchor and Hope held its world premiere on 10 October 2017 at the BFI London Film Festival. It premiered theatrically in Spain on 24 November 2017, and in the United Kingdom on 28 September 2018.

### Home media

Anchor and Hope became available as video on demand in the United States on 20 November 2018. The DVD was released by Wolfe Video in Region 1 on 27 November 2018. In the U.S., the film became available for streaming on Netflix on 15 February 2019.

## Reception
### Critical response

On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, Anchor and Hope has a 76% rating based on 29 reviews, and an average rating of 6.6/10. On Metacritic, the film has a score of 67 (out of 100) based on 9 reviews from mainstream critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".
It was named one of the "best queer films of 2018" by IndieWire. Female-centered film productions reviewer Womentainment said Eva and Kat's story was presented "in the most honest, heartfelt and beautiful way."

## Accolades

| Year | Award | Category | Nominee(s) | Result |
| 2018 | 5th Feroz Awards | Best Comedy Film | Best Comedy Film | Nominated |
| 2018 | 10th Gaudí Awards | Best Film Not in the Catalan Language | Best Film Not in the Catalan Language | Won |
| 2018 | 10th Gaudí Awards | Best Director | Carlos Marques-Marcet | Nominated |
| 2018 | 10th Gaudí Awards | Best Screenplay | Carlos Marques-Marcet, Jules Nurrish | Nominated |
| 2018 | 10th Gaudí Awards | Best Actress | Oona Chaplin | Nominated |
| 2018 | 10th Gaudí Awards | Best Actor | David Verdaguer | Won |
| 2018 | 10th Gaudí Awards | Best Production Supervision | Sergi Moreno, Sophie Venner | Nominated |
| 2018 | 10th Gaudí Awards | Best Art Direction | Tim Dickel | Nominated |
| 2018 | 10th Gaudí Awards | Best Supporting Actress | Natalia Tena | Nominated |
| 2018 | 10th Gaudí Awards | Best Cinematography | Dagmar Weaver-Madsen | Nominated |
| 2018 | 10th Gaudí Awards | Best Costume Design | Vinyet Escobar | Nominated |
| 2018 | 10th Gaudí Awards | Best Sound | Diego Casares, Jonathan Darch, Dani Zacharias | Nominated |
| 2018 | 27th Actors and Actresses Union Awards | Best Film Actress in a Minor Role | Geraldine Chaplin | Won |