Wednesday 8th September 2021
10am, 2pm, 5pm, 7.30pm
Directed by Alejandro Amenábar
Drama
Spanish, subtitles
107 mins
An historical drama set in the first months of the Spanish Civil War, depicting how the country slid inexorably into nearly four decades of fascism under dictator Francisco Franco. In July 1936, The Spanish army declared a state of war in Salamanca, challenging the authority of the democratically elected Second Spanish Republic.
The aging Miguel de Unamuno is not only a writer and academic teacher but also one of the most recognized intellectuals in Spain, but he has become disappointed with the Republic that publicly he helped to create. Now he leans towards supporting the revolt, until his colleagues are rounded up and he begins to reconsider his principles, hoping he can exert his influence to bring reason before it’s too late.
Deeply resonant to this day, the film depicts a nation split between those compelled by egalitarianism, and driven by reactionary visions of how to ‘make Spain great again’.
A complex, steady, deeply intelligent film with a chilling resonance today, Careful and composed, it never stoops to simplification…. As Amenabar explains in a script he co-wrote, complex circumstances give rise to dictators and “draining the swamp” only allows for the emergence of monsters from the deep. – Fionnuala Halligan, Screen International
is a lyrical and symbolic meditation of the Spanish philosopher and writer Miguel de Unamuno that speaks directly to a modern audience, warning against the dangers of political apathy, fascism, and ambiguity. James W F Roberts, Janks Reviews