Tasio

Montxo Armendariz became popular with this film which captivates the essence of rural Navarra (region of Northern Spain, next to the French border) during the fascist regime of Francisco Franco. Standing from the point of view of a growing boy (Tasio), he will take the audience with him along his entire life, becoming the spectator the first witness as if they were themselves Tasio. His childhood, his friends, his games, his way of life in a very small village, and how he struggles to live always in that particular village, is what this movie show us. The priest, his parents, his first and last girlfriend who will become his wife, and mother of his son, the police, the musicians, all characters come and go in front of him. If anybody had ever wondered how was to live in the countryside and work with just your hands and a rifle, Tasio is the movie.

Wonderful, simple story of a young lad growing up in his rural surroundings, more or less in the line of `El Sur', Erice's little masterpiece produced just two years earlier. Armendáriz achieves an intense and intimate portrait of Tasio and the people around him without any over-dramatization, using simple but effective dialogue, careful characterization, and of course the brilliant photography. Tasio learns to eke out a living making coal, really charcoal-making for domestic use. Wood is piled up into a great heap, maybe three or four metres high and up to eight metres diameter, and set alight in the inside so that it burns very slowly. The `carbonero' - Tasio - must attend this smouldering heap by climbing up on it and poking and prodding holes deep into it so that there is a minimum of ventilation. You can still find some examples of this old craft in rural parts of Spain even today.

At times the dialogue may be a little difficult because of marked regionalistic accents; although Spanish-speaking, the profound Basque influence is highly evident. The film in fact was made just outside the Basque Country (Euskadi), in the extreme west of Navarra (Navarre) around the villages of Aranarache, Eulate, Urra, Baquedano and Zudaire, villages forming the area known as Améscoa; indeed you can often see parts of the beautiful Sierra de Urbasa, its heavily wooded slopes with clear little rivers. An absolute must for those who love good walks... just 40 minutes by car from where I am now. This is not an action film: it is a beautiful portrait of rural people living rural lives with just that touch of tragedy present in these Spanish films looking back at the 50s and 60s, similar to films like `Las Ratas', `El Abuelo' and `La Lengua de las Mariposas'.

Tasio is a kid who grows happily in a Navarre village at the Sierra of Urbasa. At eight years he begins working as a coal maker . Along the way, following his childhood, love adventures, marriage and ordinary life of Tasio. Enjoyable and thought-provoking picture well starred by Patxi Bisquert . This slow-moving and intelligent picture is well set in Navarra , Spain . This story help understand the rural way of life , its people, environment and its secrets . Sensational film that dispenses a brooding plot and considered to be one of the best Spanish films in the Eighties , in fact was voted one of the best pictures by professionals and critics . Sensitive film full of rural life, feeling , haunting mood-pieces , agreeable scenes , and social realism . Montxo Armendáriz, who wrote the screenplay and also shot , has put together a fine picture with very intersting elements. Colorful picture , including marvelous frames , being mostly filmed in various locations from Stella , Navarra , Spain . This extraordinary flick spells through intricate patterns of images , sets , sound and color . In addition , an excellent main cast and support cast of nice players , such as Patxi Bisquert , Miguel Rellán , Amaia Lasa, José Maria Asín , Nacho Martínez , among others.

This one of Armendariz's undisputed masterpieces and fundamental in his filmography where shows efficiently an attractive story and shot at the height of his creativity , with some peculiar characters ,his style is pretty much dry in the atmosphere as in the fresh dialog , as well as realistic , and including pleasant incidents. Previously, the director had shot a short film about these charcoal burners from Navarre that was very well received by critics, whose theme gave rise to the script for this costumbrist drama with an exemplary setting. The film is a reflection of the rural Spain of several decades ago that pays tribute to people like Tasio who are dedicated to crafts and who do not succumb to the advances that technology offers . Splendid , luxurious photography with juicy atmosphere by Javier Aguirresarobe . Aguirresarobe subsequently would make a prestigious career in Hollywood such as ¨Fright night , ¨The twilight saga: eclipse¨, ¨The road¨ , ¨The others¨ and many others. It contains a moving , emotive musical score by Ángel Illarramendi

This motion picture rich in symbolism was perfectly produced by notorious producer Elias Querejeta, being stunningly directed by Montxo Armendariz , a very good Spanish movies filmmaker . This touching picture will appeal to Spanish films buffs ; being deservedly nominated for Best Feature Montxo Armendáriz in Chicago International Film Festival 1984 Nominee Gold Hugo and Nominee Fotogramas de Plata Best Movie Actor Patxi Bisquert . And Winner Fotogramas de Plata 1985 Best Spanish Film Montxo Armendáriz. Montxo is a well recognized director both nationally and internationally, and in proof of it he won many prizes in several Festivals . Montxo Armendáriz was born in Navarra, and his films are mostly set in this Spanish region . He is a nice writer and director, expert on dramas , being especially known for Tasio (1984) , 27 hours (1986) , Cartas a Alou (1990) , Secretos del Corazón (1997), Silencio roto or Broken silence (2001) , Obaba (2005), and his last film : No Tengas Miedo (2011) . Rating : 7/10 . Worthwhile watching . The flick will appeal to Spanish cinema enthusiasts.