El Año de las Luces
Encyclopedia
Year of Enlightment is a 1986 Spanish film directed by Fernando Trueba
, starring Jorge Sanz
and Maribel Verdú
. The film is a coming of age story of a sixteen year old boy finding love and sex in the aftermath of the Spanish Civil War
. The film was awarded the Silver Bear at the 37th Berlin International Film Festival
.
Manolo is the only adolescent, all the others are children. Starting his sexual awakening, he is smitten by Vicenta, the attractive woman in charge of the care of the children. Every night when she undresses Manolo spies her. However, Manolo’s flirtations and sexual advances do not find response in either Vicenta or Paquita, a young girl who also works at the sanatorium. Instead is the sexually repress head nurse Irene, who is infatuated with the young boy. Force to assist to classes against his will with the much younger children in residence, Manolo clashes violently with the conservative authoritarianism of Doña Tránsito, the teacher. After a confrontation with her, Manolo is left to study on his own devices. Emilio an old free thinker and bidel of the sanatorium guides Manolo in his readings and teaches him about Montaigne, Balzac and Flaubert.
Disappointed with the sudden departure of Vicenta, who has to leave her job, Manolo is soon infatuated with Vicenta’s successor, María Jesús, a young pretty girl from the village and only one year his junior. Manolo’s friend, Emilio, encourages him in the awakening of his romance with María Jesús. The two teenagers are promptly discovering together their first love and sexual awakening. The local priest abruptly stops their romance; María Jesús is actually his illegitimate daughter. Pepe comes back to take Manolo and Jesús with the rest of their family and the young lovers are separated forever.
.
and the director Fernando Trueba
, who later worked together on the Oscar-winning Belle Epoque
a film similar in tone, setting and period. El Año de las Luces, is based on an episode of the real life of Manule Huete the director’s father in law. A large scale production it was shot with panoramic lenses, in gorgeous color in Ponte de Lima, Portugal, Quintanar de Sanabria, Zamora
and in Madrid. It premiered on December 5, 1986 and was awarded with a Silver Bear for an outstanding single achievement at the 37th Berlin International Film Festival
.
Fernando Trueba
Fernando Trueba is a Spanish book editor, screenwriter, film director and producer.Between 1974 and 1979 worked as a film critic for Spain's leading daily newspaper EL PAIS. In 1980, founded the monthly film magazine CASABLANCA, which he edited and directed during its first two years...
, starring Jorge Sanz
Jorge Sanz
Jorge Sanz is a Spanish actor and is one of the most prominent actors of the Spanish cinema since the 1980s. He is known to international audiences for his roles in the films: Amantes by director Vicente Aranda and Fernando Trueba’s Belle Époque .-Early life :Jorge Sanz Miranda was born on August...
and Maribel Verdú
Maribel Verdú
Maribel Verdú is a Spanish actress. She is known to English-speaking audiences for playing Luisa in the 2001 film Y tu mamá también and Mercedes in Guillermo del Toro's 2006 film Pan's Labyrinth. In Spain she is known for films such as Belle Époque, Tetro, and Huevos de oro.Verdú was born María...
. The film is a coming of age story of a sixteen year old boy finding love and sex in the aftermath of the Spanish Civil War
Spanish Civil War
The Spanish Civil WarAlso known as The Crusade among Nationalists, the Fourth Carlist War among Carlists, and The Rebellion or Uprising among Republicans. was a major conflict fought in Spain from 17 July 1936 to 1 April 1939...
. The film was awarded the Silver Bear at the 37th Berlin International Film Festival
37th Berlin International Film Festival
The 37th annual Berlin International Film Festival was held from 20 February to 3 March 1987.-Jury:* Klaus Maria Brandauer * Juliet Berto* Kathleen Carroll* Callisto Cosulich* Victor Dyomin* Reinhard Hauff* Edmund Luft* Jiří Menzel...
.
Plot
In the spring of 1940 in the aftermath of the Spanish Civil war, two sons of a fallen soldier, Manolo, a sixteen-year-old boy, and his eight year old little brother Jesús are suffering from symptoms of tuberculosis. Their much older brother, Pepe, takes them to a rural sanatorium in Sierra de Gata near the border with Portugal. They are placed there to recover their health under the watch of Irene, the director.Manolo is the only adolescent, all the others are children. Starting his sexual awakening, he is smitten by Vicenta, the attractive woman in charge of the care of the children. Every night when she undresses Manolo spies her. However, Manolo’s flirtations and sexual advances do not find response in either Vicenta or Paquita, a young girl who also works at the sanatorium. Instead is the sexually repress head nurse Irene, who is infatuated with the young boy. Force to assist to classes against his will with the much younger children in residence, Manolo clashes violently with the conservative authoritarianism of Doña Tránsito, the teacher. After a confrontation with her, Manolo is left to study on his own devices. Emilio an old free thinker and bidel of the sanatorium guides Manolo in his readings and teaches him about Montaigne, Balzac and Flaubert.
Disappointed with the sudden departure of Vicenta, who has to leave her job, Manolo is soon infatuated with Vicenta’s successor, María Jesús, a young pretty girl from the village and only one year his junior. Manolo’s friend, Emilio, encourages him in the awakening of his romance with María Jesús. The two teenagers are promptly discovering together their first love and sexual awakening. The local priest abruptly stops their romance; María Jesús is actually his illegitimate daughter. Pepe comes back to take Manolo and Jesús with the rest of their family and the young lovers are separated forever.
Cast
The two teenage leads Jorge Sanz and Maribel Verdú were subsequently cast together in many Spanish films through the 1980s and 1990s most notably in Amantes directed by Vicente ArandaVicente Aranda
Vicente Aranda , is a Spanish film director, screenwriter and producer.Due to his refined and personal style, he is one of the most renowned Spanish filmmakers. He started as a founded member of the Barcelona School of Film and became known for bringing contemporary Spanish novels to life on the...
.
- Jorge SanzJorge SanzJorge Sanz is a Spanish actor and is one of the most prominent actors of the Spanish cinema since the 1980s. He is known to international audiences for his roles in the films: Amantes by director Vicente Aranda and Fernando Trueba’s Belle Époque .-Early life :Jorge Sanz Miranda was born on August...
- Manolo - Maribel VerdúMaribel VerdúMaribel Verdú is a Spanish actress. She is known to English-speaking audiences for playing Luisa in the 2001 film Y tu mamá también and Mercedes in Guillermo del Toro's 2006 film Pan's Labyrinth. In Spain she is known for films such as Belle Époque, Tetro, and Huevos de oro.Verdú was born María...
- María Jesús - Verónica ForquéVeronica ForquéVerónica Forqué is a Spanish actress of stage, film and television who comes from an artistic and theatrical family. Her mother is Carmen Vázquez Vigo and her father is the director José María Forqué. Her brother is director Álvaro Forqué...
- Irene - Manuel AlexandreManuel AlexandreManuel Alexandre Abarca was a Spanish film and television actor.-Career:He was a popular supporting actor. He won a Goya Award in 2003 for his career achievemnts.-Filmography in cinema:1947...
- Emilio - Rafaela AparicioRafaela AparicioRafaela Aparicio was a famous Spanish film and theatre actress.She did more than 100 films...
- Rafaela - Santiago Ramos - Pepe
- Chus LampreaveChus LampreaveChus Lampreave is a Spanish actress.She started in movies in 1958, but she became internationally known thanks to her roles in films by Pedro Almodóvar, where she plays old ladies with maternal or pastoral traits.- Filmography :...
- Doña Tránsito - Lucas Martín - Jesús
- José Sazatornil - Don Teodulo
- Violeta Cela - Vicenta
- Diana Peñalver - Paquita
Overview
El Año de las Luces, a sensitive rites of passage film was co-authored by Rafael AzconaRafael Azcona
Rafael Azcona Fernández was an awarded Spanish screenwriter and novelist who has worked with some of the best Spanish and international filmmakers. Azcona won five Goya Awards during his career, including a lifetime achievement award in 1998.He was born in the northern Spanish city Logroño on...
and the director Fernando Trueba
Fernando Trueba
Fernando Trueba is a Spanish book editor, screenwriter, film director and producer.Between 1974 and 1979 worked as a film critic for Spain's leading daily newspaper EL PAIS. In 1980, founded the monthly film magazine CASABLANCA, which he edited and directed during its first two years...
, who later worked together on the Oscar-winning Belle Epoque
Belle Epoque (film)
Belle Époque is a 1992 Spanish film directed by Fernando Trueba. The title derives from the period in French history known as the Belle Époque .-Plot:...
a film similar in tone, setting and period. El Año de las Luces, is based on an episode of the real life of Manule Huete the director’s father in law. A large scale production it was shot with panoramic lenses, in gorgeous color in Ponte de Lima, Portugal, Quintanar de Sanabria, Zamora
Zamora, Spain
Zamora is a city in Castile and León, Spain, the capital of the province of Zamora. It lies on a rocky hill in the northwest, near the frontier with Portugal and crossed by the Duero river, which is some 50 km downstream as it reaches the Portuguese frontier...
and in Madrid. It premiered on December 5, 1986 and was awarded with a Silver Bear for an outstanding single achievement at the 37th Berlin International Film Festival
37th Berlin International Film Festival
The 37th annual Berlin International Film Festival was held from 20 February to 3 March 1987.-Jury:* Klaus Maria Brandauer * Juliet Berto* Kathleen Carroll* Callisto Cosulich* Victor Dyomin* Reinhard Hauff* Edmund Luft* Jiří Menzel...
.