Little Ashes

"Three rebels willing to take on the world. Two lovers risking it all. One story, untold until now."

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The Movie

Little Ashes is a film that tells the story of the meeting between a young Salvador Dali and the poet Federico Garcia Lorca and how their friendship developed into a love affair. While it is widely acknowledged that Lorca was infatuated with Dali, the artist always denied ever entering a relationship with him. Dali (in typical contradictory terms) claimed:

“He was homosexual, as everyone knows, and madly in love with me…He tried to screw me twice... I was extremely annoyed, because I wasn't homosexual, and I wasn't interested in giving in. Besides, it hurts. So nothing came of it." [http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2007/oct/28/spain.books]

Justifying her decision to depict the affair as fact writer Philippa Goslett has said:

“Having done a huge amount of research, it's clear something happened, no question… When you look at the letters it's clear something more was going on there….It began as a friendship, became more intimate and moved to a physical level but Dali found it difficult and couldn't carry on. He said they tried to have sex but it hurt, so they couldn't consummate the relationship” [http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2007/oct/28/spain.books]

Plot Summary

In 1922 the 18 year old Salvador Dali arrives at university in Madrid. The Residencia de Estudiantes or student residences is a modern environment which encourages Spain’s brightest young minds. Salvador, who is determined to become a great artist, soon catches the attention of the Resi’s social elite – poet Federico Garcia Lorca and aspiring film maker Luis Bunuel . Together they form the nucleus of the most modern group in Madrid.

Their private lives become increasingly complex as Federico ignores the advances of friend and writer Margarita and Salvador himself feels the pull of Lorca’s magnetism. Luis, becoming increasingly isolated by the duo’s closeness decides to move to Paris to fulfil his own artistic ambitions, leaving Salvador and Federico to spend the summer at the sea-side village of Cadaques.

Federico finds himself accepted [According to Ian Gibson Lorca was "utterly at home with his hosts and by now hopelessley involved with Salvador"] into the Dali family as he and Salvador grow closer then, one night, the friendship becomes more… [http://www.ariafilms.co.uk/projects/LittleAshes.pdf]

Little Ashes Painting

The movie title is taken from Salvador Dali’s 1927-28 painting Cenicitas (little Ashes). It was originally called The Birth of Venus, before being changed to Sterile Efforts and then finally Cencitas [The Shameful life of Salvador Dali p 162] It was first displayed on 20 March 1929 in a Madrid exhibition [Salvador Dali An Illustrated Life, Tate Publishing] . It was again displayed in his first solo exhibition in Paris in June 1931 [Salvador Dali An Illustrated Life, Tate Publishing] The painting is currently in the Dali collection of the Queen Sofia Art Centre in Madrid [The Shameful life of Salvador Dali p 162]

Cast/Crew

Javier Beltran [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm2779214/] as Federico García Lorca

Robert Pattinson as Salvador Dalí

Matthew McNulty as Luis Buñuel

Marina Gatell [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0309510/] as Magdalena

Arly Jover [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0431332/] as Gala

Paul Morrison (director): Director

Philippa Goslett: Writer

Movie festivals

Little Ashes premiered at the 16th annual Raindance film festival in London. The sold-out screening was scheduled on 7th October 2008 at 19:00. A second screening was also added for the 8th of October at 1430. [http://www.raindance.co.uk/site/index.php?id=270,2493,0,0,1,0&highlight=Little%20AShes]

External Links

* [http://www.littleashes-themovie.com/ Little Ashes Official Site] Official Movie Site
* [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1104083/ Little Ashes] Little Ashes IMDb Page
* [http://www.raindance.co.uk/site/index.php?id=270,2493,0,0,1,0&highlight=Little%20AShes/ Raindance Film Festival] Raindance Film Festival Site
* [http://www.themovie-fanatic.com/la/ Little Ashes Promotional Blitz] Unofficial Promotional Site

References

* Guardian article "Were Spain's two artistic legends secret gay lovers?" [http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2007/oct/28/spain.books]
* Aria film synopsis [http://www.ariaflms.co.uk/projects/LittleAshes.pdf]
* Gay Histories and Cultures By George E. Haggerty ISBN-10: 0815318804
* The Shameful Life of Salvador Dali by Ian Gibson ISBN 0393046249
* Salvador Dali An Illustrated Life, Tate Publishing ISBN 9781854377593

Notes

Licensing: