Another story set in the grim beginnings of the "New Spain" during the drab winter of 1940, as the victorious nationalists rounded up their defeated opponents to be jailed and in many cases shot.
Where this film differs is that it concentrates on the women, being set mostly in a Madrid prison where we see both republican inmates, some with babies, and the staff keeping them there, who are wardresses under the command of nuns. The role of the church in supporting the regime comes under heavy criticism. That Franco's rule was thoroughly unpleasant from the start is taken as given and even after 70 years little attempt is made at balance, for this is the story of the victims.
Touching moments from the two principals, Inma Cuesta and Marìa Leòn, playing sisters in their late teens who learn painfully what dignity and courage mean. Their men are communist guerillas in the mountains, one of whom is tortured to death and the other sentenced to 30 years.
Sombre prison interiors and grey wintry exteriors convey the gloom that prevails, intensified by a sparse soundtrack. Only occasional flashes of bravery and of compassion lighten the tense oppressive atmosphere.
Where this film differs is that it concentrates on the women, being set mostly in a Madrid prison where we see both republican inmates, some with babies, and the staff keeping them there, who are wardresses under the command of nuns. The role of the church in supporting the regime comes under heavy criticism. That Franco's rule was thoroughly unpleasant from the start is taken as given and even after 70 years little attempt is made at balance, for this is the story of the victims.
Touching moments from the two principals, Inma Cuesta and Marìa Leòn, playing sisters in their late teens who learn painfully what dignity and courage mean. Their men are communist guerillas in the mountains, one of whom is tortured to death and the other sentenced to 30 years.
Sombre prison interiors and grey wintry exteriors convey the gloom that prevails, intensified by a sparse soundtrack. Only occasional flashes of bravery and of compassion lighten the tense oppressive atmosphere.