The film is the second part of Carlos Saura's "Flamenco Trilogy". The first was Bodas de sangre (1981) whilst the third was El amor brujo (1986).
The film is a "free adaptation" of two "Carmen" works, Georges Bizet's opera and Prosper Mérimée's novella.
One of three films with the name "Carmen" in the title which were released around 1983-1984. The other two films were Francesco Rosi's Carmen (1984) and Jean-Luc Godard's Prénom Carmen (1983).
Publicity for this picture stated: "In our Carmen we have incorporated the dance and music of Spain as a form of living expression parallel to the music of the Opera, submerging ourselves in this mythical character who leads us inexorably through love and jealousy to tragedy".
The film was entered into competition at the Cannes Film Festival in 1983 and was nominated for the Palme D'Or but it did not win. But there the picture did win two awards, it won the Technical Grand Prize (Grand Prix of the C.S.T.) and the Award for Best Artistic Contribution.