THE TEACHER WHO PROMISED THE SEA/ El mestre que va prometre el mar, Spain, 2023. Starring Enric Auquer, Laia Costa, Luisa Gavasa, Ramon Agirre. Directed by Patricia Font. 105 minutes. Rated (Mature themes and violence).
This is a film with moments of hope but also many moments which are grim. Perhaps the title indicates this – there is promise but a question over whether the promise can ever be fulfilled.
This film is based on an actual character and events, with tributes and photos during the final credits. The setting is Spain in the mid 1930s, at the outbreak of the Civil War. However, there is a framework for the Civil War story. A young woman is concerned about the health of her grandfather who is in an aged care home. She also wants to know more about his past during the 1930s. The film shows the range of excavations of mass graves which have taken place in recent decades.
In her investigations, the granddaughter goes to the town where her grandfather lived, finding one of his schoolfriends and then the film goes into flashbacks. There is a focus on the new teacher, Antonio (Auquer). Antonio has a socialist bent, and through various experiments with the small group of children, gets them to participate in their own education, programs, activities. This, of course, causes difficulties, especially with the mayor whose young daughter is in the class.
The teacher has to look after one of the children, Carlos, whose father is in prison. [This young boy will become the grandfather in the aged care home.] In terms of a film about education, this is the work of the pioneers who want to involve the children in their education and not just be subject to curricula.
The children have never seen the sea and that is one of the promises that Antonio makes. However, the war breaks out, audiences have seen troops and fascist factions roaming through the village. Ultimately, the military arrives, the village people have to take a stand. Antonio is supported by the old widow who has been his housekeeper, the mayor takes the side of the troops.
It is sad to see the treatment of Antonio, the response of the children, of the people in the village, his being taken into prison, and a particularly moving sequence where Antonio is taken out into the hills, the soldiers having a smoke before casually shooting him.
Audiences have been continually interested in Spanish Civil War stories this is a strong addition to these stories, based on actual characters and events, but continually questioning the behaviour of right-wing extremists.
Palace
Released 25 July