Volver a Empezar (Begin the Beguine, 1982)
Directed by: José Luis Garci
Written by: José Luis Garci, Ángel Llorente
Starring: Antonio Ferrandis, Encarna Paso, José Bódalo, Agustín González.
Written by Peter Berry
José Luis Garci’s earliest films, Asignatura Pendiente and Solos en la madrugada both represent attempts to portray the disruptive consequences that the democratic transition could have in the personal lives of middle class Spaniards. Volver a Empezar (Beguin the Beguine) is somewhat of a piece with these early works but is of a decidedly warmer and gentler tone. Read More…
Vente a Alemania, Pepe (Come to Germany, Pepe – 1971)
Directed by Pedro Lazaga
Written by Vicente Coello and Vicente Escrivá
Starring: Alfredo Landa, Tina Sáinz, José Sacristán
BY RAQUEL MARTÍNEZ
Economic crises and unemployment have caused Spanish natives to find work abroad in different periods of recent history. For Spaniards, top European economies (specially Germany) are often regarded as promised lands ̶ places where virtually anyone can get a fairly paid job. Recent films such as Perdiendo el norte (Off-course – Nacho García Velilla, 2014) and Un franco, 14 pesetas (Crossing Borders – Carlos Iglesias, 2006) have provided diverse perspectives on Spanish emigration to Europe. Within this context, the 1970s comedy Vente a Alemania, Pepe (Come to Germany, Pepe – Pedro Lazaga, 1971) is considered the ‘protofilm’ in the popular Spanish imagery. Read More…
Hable con ella (Talk to Her, 2002)
Directed by Pedro Almodóvar
Written by Pedro Almodóvar
Starring: Rosario Flores, Javier Cámara, Darío Grandinetti
BY BEATRIZ CABALLERO RODRÍGUEZ
Gender shifts in Almodóvar’s Hable con ella (Talk to her, 2002)
Winner of an Oscar to the best screenplay, Hable con ella (Talk to her, 2002) constitutes a significant shift in Pedro Almodóvar’s prolific cinematic career. In contrast with his previous films, where women always took centre stage, this time the protagonists are men. Read More…
El pastor (The Shepherd, 2016)
Written and directed by Jonathan Cenzual Burley
Starring: Maribel Iglesias, Miguel Martín, Alfonso Mendiguchía
BY PABLO DE CASTRO
The 23rd edition of the extraordinary Spanish-speaking VIVA Festival Manchester took place just a couple of months ago. The film section is just one area of a much wider festival which addresses all means of artistic and cultural expression, including theatre, dance and visual arts. Once the festival was over, a few selected jewels started touring the country (same as the ‘Best of the IDFA’ tours The Netherlands: this will typically happen when cinema is seen as a cultural activity beyond business). These hidden gems have recently arrived to our own very Glasgow, and oh dear, the three selected pieces happen to arrive from Latin America. Read More…
Volver (2006)
Written and directed by Pedro Almodóvar
Starring: Penélope Cruz, Carmen Maura, Lola Dueñas, Blanca Portillo, Yohana Cobo, Chus Lampreave
BY BEATRIZ CABALLERO RODRIGUEZ
From the outset, Pedro Almodóvar’s film Volver (2006) tackles the topics of memory and trauma across three generations of women. As the title Volver (meaning to return, to come back) indicates, this film is marked by a strong sense of disjointed time where the past refuses to stay in the past, ghosts refuse to stay buried, traumatic events refuse to be forgotten. Read More…
La Caja 507 (Box 507, 2002)
Directed by Enrique Urbizu
Written by Enrique Urbizu and Michel Gaztambide
Starring: José Coronado, Antonio Resines, Goya Toledo, Dafne Fernández, Sancho Gracia.
Costa del Sol, Spain. Locals, tourists, ex-pats and millionaires live side by side. Modesto works as a bank manager in a nameless town. Seven years earlier, his sixteen-year-old daughter died in a fire, an event that turned Modesto and his wife into a sad and joyless couple. But when a gang of robbers break into the bank Read More…
El Cochecito (The Little Coach, 1960)
Directed by Marco Ferreri
Written by Marco Ferreri and Rafael Azcona
Starring: José Isbert, José Luis López Vázquez, Chus Lampreave, María Isbert
“El Cochecito” is often referred to as a “Spanish classic”. It was scripted by the talented Rafael Azcona, author of many other emblematic stories such as “El Verdugo”, “El Pisito” or the Oscar-winning “Belle Epoque”. Azcona’s scripts were powerful and often hid strong criticism behind their sharp comic tone. “El Cochecito” Read More…
Spanish Film Review Club 