Spanish Film History

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------------------------------------------------- World Film History II ------------------------------------------------- Spanish Film History in ten films UNIVERSITY OF HELSINKI Faculty of Social Sciences – Communication & Media Spanish Film History in ten Films “And now, if you forgive us, let’s talk about Spanish Films.” -Antonio Gasset How do we know a movie is properly Spanish? Is there such a thing as Spanish filmmaking? It is important to take into consideration economic, law, authorship, thematic and cultural effect to determine the nationality of a film. For instance, Ágora (Alejandro Amenábar, 2009) is a Spanish film produced and executed abroad, like Un chien andalou (Luis Buñuel, 1929). Nevertheless, the historical repercussion of both films is completely different for the sake of the nation’s film history. That’s why researchers of the National Film Archive of Spain have stated that a movie is part of our cultural background when the entire conception influences our History. Looking for a fresh approach and plus, more enjoyable way to expose the vast filmography “made in” Spain, I have decided to go through eighty years of filmmaking by choosing ten of the most remarkable (and yet, my favorites) titles that also represent some the finest creations in our audiovisual record. All these cinematographic experiences collect pieces of our contemporary History and are a testament for the events that built our country as it is today. From Berlanga to Urbizu, our directors have shown a peculiar ability to portrait our reality and this short essay will try to cover the spectrum. 1. Las Hurdes: Tierra Sin Pan 1932. Luis Buñuel. To make this documentary, Buñuel travelled to the impoverished region of Extremadura “Hurdes” with the intention of shooting the living conditions of the inhabitants of the area. Despite the realistic
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