Watch the trailer for El Correo, the film about corruption in Marbella that is number 1 at the box office

The film currently taking Spanish box offices by storm is El Correo by director Daniel Calparsoro. Its protagonist is a man from Vallecas (Madrid), who is used to roughing it, despite being rich. The opening scene of the film find him sitting inside a container ship en route from Spain to Hong Kong, as he protects the cargo he’s travelling with; 1.55 billion euros of dirty money, of which he is entitled to three percent.

On his return, he heads to Marbella, which at the time is the epicentre of corruption in Spain and the protagonist doesn’t just want to splash his new-found cash, he wants a piece of the Costa del Sol action.

El Correo premiered on Friday 19 January in cinemas up and down the country and has already become the country’s first blockbuster of 2024. It is already grossing 530,171 euros and attracted an audience of 73,301 in its first weekend, achieving a market share of 11 per cent.

It is a triumph for Calparsoro (Hasta el Cielo and Cien Años de Perdón), who achieved a blockbuster with a thriller instead of a comedy, which is the genre of film that normally attracts the largest Spanish audiences (nine of the ten highest grossing Spanish films last year were comedies).

The film is being shown in Malaga city at Rosaleda, Vialia, Plaza Mayor and Málaga Nostrum cinemas and across the rest of the province at Yelmo in Rincón de la Victoria: El Ingenio in Vélez-Málaga; Pixel in Coín; La Verónica in Antequera; Alfil and Miramar in Fuengirola; La Cañada and Puerto Banús in Marbella, and Ronda.

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Shot last spring in Marbella and Malaga, as well as Madrid, Geneva and Brussels, El Correo portrays the corruption that ran rampant in Spain in the early 2000s, with its epicentre in Marbella. The protagonist gets involved in famous operations such as Malaya, which marked a turning point in the fight against real estate and political crime.

One of the central characters is José Luis Ocaña, the Marbella town planning councillor, played by Andalusian actor José Manuel Poga (La Casa de Papel). It also stars Arón Piper (Élite), and María Pedraza, (Toy Boy and Urban) who plays the daughter of a businessman and money launderer played by Luis Tosar.

The film claims to be "based on real events" and there is plenty of action including briefcases being exchanged on Marbella’s Golden Mile and parties on luxury boats in Puerto Banús, where millions and deals are made over drinks. The film also features Huerta del Conde de Pinares de San Antón in Malaga city, which is the setting of a party during where more dodgy deals are made.

Along with El Correo the new Wonka film and Beekeeper: The Protector also did well at the box office last weekend.