‘Belle epoque‘, the movie by director Fernando Trueba was made in 1992, towards the end of a period that radically transformed Spanish cinema. His country had awakened to freedom after decades of dictatorship and censorship, and its artists, filmmakers among the first, were practicing and learning to use free expression—both as subject matter and as artistic forms. While several great filmmakers who had survived the decades of dictatorship were ending their careers, new names and exceptional talents were emerging. It was, of course, Almodovar, but he was not alone and Fernando Trueba was among the names that became known in the 80s. The controversial and trauma-filled history of 20th century Spain was also addressed and reconsidered. ‘Belle Epoque‘ stands out among the films made about the recent past by young filmmakers at the time with a positive and entertaining approach. Unlike many of his contemporaries, Trueba looks to the past not with anger but with the intention of finding something interesting and different, that will attract and entertain viewers. The result was beyond expectations, it was successful then (it won the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film in 1993) and, seen or re-seen today, it passes the test of time without a problem.
It could easily be a drama, if not a tragedy. The story takes place in 1931, in a brief period of hope, an exception in the Spanish history of the first half of the 20th century. The monarchy had fallen after the abdication of King Alfonso XIII, the republic had been proclaimed and the first rebellions of the anti-republican armed forces had been repressed. Fernando, a young deserter soldier, arrives in a village somewhere in the heart of Spain and finds shelter in the house of an elderly man, the avant-garde painter Manolo. The artist lives alone, hasn’t painted for a while (because everything that needed to be painted has been already painted!) and holds philosophical-political discussions with the village priest. His wife, a famous opera singer, is absent all the time, on tour with her lover. On the day Fernando decides to leave, Manolo’s four daughters arrive on the same train. Seeing them, the young man decides to stay. One is a widow, another a lesbian, the third is about to get married and the fourth is Penélope Cruz. They are all beautiful. What follows are the gallant adventures of the young man, a naive Don Juan who will share the charms with the four sisters under the indulgent gaze of the father. A happy interlude that takes place in a temporal and geographical capsule of light and joy, in a century and a country beaten by history.
The genre of gallant comedies is not entirely new, and if we look for their predecessors we will find them in the paintings of the 18th century masters, including the Spanish ones. Even Francisco Goya has remarkable works in this genre. A light, bubbly and optimistic approach characterizes the film, despite the fact that it begins with a macabre scene and ends with breakups that could last forever. The characters live their joys and loves, but they are aware of what is happening in the world around them. Starring Jorge Sanz (Fernando) and Fernando Fernán Gómez (Manolo). The four female roles are played by Miriam Díaz-Aroca, Ariadna Gil, Maribel Verdú and Penélope Cruz. ‘Belle Epoque‘ is a film that should not be missed if you have the opportunity to see it.