Flowers From Another World

Directed by Icíar Bollaín

In the early ’80s, the Spanish newspapers reported the story of a small village lacking in eligible women where the desperate bachelors’ answer was to ring in a busload of potential spouses (the ‘Plan Caravan’). Inspired by these events, Bollaín’s second feature (co-written with novelist Julio Llamazares) takes up where the media left off – revealing the lives of three of the resulting couples. A bus full of hopeful Central American women arrives in Santa Eulalia. The women are of varying ages and colours but they are all looking for a better future. But how will they find life in a remote Spanish village? And how will the villagers react to the new arrivals? FLOWERS reveals the culture clash experienced by both sides and the racism (both individual and institutional) that exacerbates the standard relationship problems. Carmen Herrero, Manchester Metropolitan University will give an introduction to this screening.

Duration:
106 minutes

Country of origin:
Spain

Year of production:
1999