Un Franco 14 Pesetas

I worked with Carlos in the TV Series of Vicente Escriva "MANOS A LA OBRA" and at that time Carlos was thinking of writing his own story about his family immigration to Switzerland. I saw the film at the premiere in the Malaga festival ( where it was awarded as best film) and I have to say that Carlos Iglesias is not only an excellent actor but also a good writer with sense and sensibility as well as a paramount director.The film reproduces the real feelings of the Spanish immigrants in the 50's with the delicacy,cheerfulness, sadness and a bit touch of frustration of the people who had to leave their own country to look for a better way of living. I have to say that I do deeply love the story and the performance of everyone's involved. Carlos keep going this way hope we can see soon another of your films. All the best for you and your nice family.I would not mind to work with you again.

The theme is so subtly developed, one doesn't realize it's really about the emigrant experience until almost the end. For most of the film, it's 'just' a story, and a great one. Everything is cleverly subtle. For example, the protagonist doesn't come from misery and extreme poverty, nor is he poorly educated (all characteristics of the stereotypical emigrant). He's not fleeing from political oppression (at least overtly). He's just trying to get ahead.

It's rare to see emigration from the point of view of the emigrant. This film could be required viewing in the U.S. before making disparaging remarks about immigrants.

It is also always a pleasure to see an entire film where adolescent angst plays no part.

Marcos and Martin are two workers in the Spain of the 60's. There's no work, there's no money, and there's no option for the people but to emigrate to Switzerland and trying to find work there. There, the difficulties to adapt into a foreign country and discover a new life there. Perfectly showing us how was the live of that time, the movie is a portrait of a time were the Spanish had to go to another country in order to find a job. Touching and moving it is a quite good movie which has unexpected good acting and a good directing. It is a fresh surprise in the Spanish cinema and it is curious to see that a comedian is able to change and direct and act so good in a drama. Probably one of the best Spanish film of its year and, surprisingly, it passed unawared by most of the people.

It is a curious coincidence that a TV comedian, José Corbacho, was behind one of last year's best Spanish films, Tapas, and this year it is again another TV funnyman, Carlos Iglesias, who brings us the cream of the crop. They both became famous on Spanish TV for their absurd, laugh-out-loud comic personas, but have chosen a more cerebral route for their directorial filmic debuts, making comedies with dramatic undertones, and in both cases the results have been artistic triumphs.

Iglesias's little joy of a film, based largely on his own life experiences as the son of Spanish emigrants, is simply delightful in every detail. The story flows along effortlessly and the characters are developed with loving care, and once the film ends one cannot help but want it to go on longer, which is the mark of all good storytelling. I was already a fan of Iglesias in his "Pepelu" times of the 90s, but if the quality of his film career stays at this level, he will surely make us forget his time on TV.

I enjoyed the movie "Un Franco, 14 pesetas," because of the way it explores the topic of emigration from the perspective of the emigrant, and because of the way it combines humor and respect towards the emigrants. I think this movie can be dedicated to all those who have emigrated to another country, but also to those who returned to their own countries, which some times ends up being unexpectedly more difficult than emigrating. These day, when Spain is a country receiving immigrants, this is a unavoidable look into the past: when Spaniards emigrated to more progressive Northern European countries looking for a better life, and leaving a dirty poor country behind. It is a comedy which brought tears to my eyes, not because it was dramatic, but because of its real portray of simple feelings. I think the acting of Carlos Iglesias and Javer Gutierrez was impressive. But the actress that touched me the most was Isabel Blanco as Hanna.