Gràcies per la propina

Great film about those dark times where Franco was the worse thing that ever happened to Spain. I specially like the acting job of the kids and those guy Gamenyo (Eloi Yebra) a good joint of people working so well.

OK, this film is one of my all-time favorites! I was fortunate to catch a midnight screening of it while working in Seville, Spain. It was so engaging and enjoyable that I went the next night and the night after that. The next day it was out of the theatres and gone, forever. Since 1997 I have been trying to find a copy for my own personal collection, but also info on who owns the rights to the film (distribution) so as to show it at our film festival in town if not local theatres.

The characters are fantastic, and the cast is tremendous. The film depicts a small Spanish town in the province of Zaragoza during the early Franco years of his dictatorship (and censorship!) The story follows two young boys (brothers) who are orphaned and sent to live with their uncles and grandfather. The grandfather is the coolest character.

This film deserves to be re-discovered. I've written emails to Criterion Collection for years about picking this film up along with other valuable, classic, and fantastic Spanish films: Los Tarantos; La Tia Tula; Simon del desierto; Bienvenidos Mr. Marshal! Francesc Bellmunt directs a great film. If anyone knows about who to contact regarding distribution or to get a DVD copy of the film, please post notice.

One of the few movies made in the catalan language (in this case in the valencian dialect). I liked it a lot! The plot happens in a small village close to Valencia (Spain) during the Franco dictatorship. I think the movie gives an excellent aproximation of the lifestyle and problems of a low-income family (not a standard familiy), about the homosexuality of one of their members, about the repression during the Franco dictatorship (repression also against the catalan language).

This is one of those gems that somehow slips through the floorboards and is missed by critics, distributors, etc. throughout the rest of the world.

The story here is simple: two young boys are orphaned and then taken to be raised by their bachelor uncles (one of whom is gay).

Both are determined to do their best by the boys and the result is a wonderful, warm, intelligent and often very funny movie that follows the boys from early childhood through to young adulthood. All the performances are excellent; the photography is beautiful and evocative.

There are some remarkable films being made by Catalan film makers these days--nearly all unjustly ignored and/or undiscovered by non-Catalan distributors and critics. If you get a chance to see this one, don't miss it.