As the Instituto Cervantes continues its tribute to Spanish maestro Juan Antonio Bardem (1922-2002), we bring you a very personal story from the dictatorship era that deftly circumnavigated Franco’s censors.
In post-war Spain, life is hard, and luxuries are few and far between for the working-classes. Ana Ruiz, a small-time comedienne in a travelling theatre troupe, knows an actor must make sacrifices to get that big break, including love. In his first film made without Luis García Berlanga, Bardem weaves in autobiographical elements from this world that as the son of theatre actors he knew so well, and even makes a brief appearance as a stagehand. This is a tribute to his family, and a magnificently acerbic portrait of theatre companies and the acting profession, with all its highs and lows.
Event/ This screening will be introduced by Andy Willis, University of Salford.
You can now select your favourite seats in our cinema!
We’re rolling out reserved seating across our cinemas, starting with ¡Viva! This is to improve access for audiences and provide an even better customer experience.