Un Franco 14 Pesetas

Crossing Borders... is A Spanish-Switzerland comedy released in 2006 that tells the story of two couples of Spanish immigrants in Switzerland in the 1950s based in the autobiographical experience of the actor and director Carlos Iglesias.

This is a very sweet, funny, honest and intimate film about the lives of those Spaniards who migrated to Switzerland and other European countries in the 1950s and 1960s. It is faithful to real events, and shows the issues that affected those people when leaving their country, the pros and cons of being an Spanish emigrant, and of the country of origin and the country of reception. Especially good is the depiction of the feelings of alienation, loneliness, cultural and emotional isolation, distrust by the locals, but also how hard was going back home for those who decided to return and resettle.

All the cast is good in their performances, especially Nieves de Medina as Pilar and Isabel Blanco as Hanna.

The movie is unpretentious, talks about serious issues using comedy, and has heart. I think it will reach immigrants from any part of the world, but also any viewer wanting to see something different from Spain and about Spain recent history.

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.

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.

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.

It was my first Spanish movie and I had no idea what to expect, but I'm so glad I chose it in the end, I found it so much more interesting and entertaining than the other movies i'm used to. I am definitely going to see if I can find some more of Carlos Iglesias - I absolutely loved him.

A wonderful movie, beautifully filmed, with light yet very effective humour. The actors are simply perfect, the story flows at the right pace, and you enjoy the movie from beginning to end. Offers a great contrast between the lives of the Spanish and the swiss in the 1960's. A Spanish must-see.