- Surcos
Infobox Film
name = Surcos
image_size =
caption = Theatrical poster
director =José Antonio Nieves Conde
producer =
writer = Story:
Eugenio Montes Screenplay: José Antonio Nieves CondeGonzalo Torrente Ballester Natividad Zaro
narrator =
starring =Luis Peña María Asquerino
music = Jesús García Leoz
cinematography = Sebastián Perera
editing = Margarita de Ochoa
distributor =
released =October 26 1951 (Spain )
runtime = 99 minutes
country = Spain
language = Spanish
budget =
website =
amg_id =
imdb_id = 0044092"Surcos" (English informal title: "") (1951) is a Spanish
film directed byJosé Antonio Nieves Conde . The picture was written by Eugenio Montes, José Antonio Nieves Conde,Gonzalo Torrente Ballester , and Natividad Zaro. [imdb title|id=0044092|title=Surcos.]The film tells of an unsettling portrait of postwar Madrid when dictator
Francisco Franco was in power.Plot
"Surcos" follows the struggles of a Spanish family as it emigrates from the country to
Madrid circa 1950.Facing difficulties in finding housing and employment, several family members turn to illegal or immoral activities in order to make ends meet, and the traditional family structure disintegrates.
Background
"Surcos" is considered one of the very few - if not the only - Spanish neo-realist films from the era when the style was being created and popularized in
Italy . The picture only escaped censorship because José María García Escudero, Spain's Chief of Cinematography, was progressive enough to value the film for its artistic merit. [Brennan, Sandra. amg name| id=2:104528|name=José Antonio Nieves-Conde.]The film dealt with issues virtually unseen during Franco's rule, including rural immigration into the cities, poverty, prostitution, unemployment, and class conflicts. "Surcos" is a view of the contradictions found in Franco's regime. The Catholic Church considered the film "deeply dangerous," yet political observers labeled the drama of "national interest." The film was not released until its controversial ending was removed. [ [http://pragda.com/museum-modern-art-new-york-spain.php Pragda] . Spanish Film Club, 302 Bedford Avenue #136 Brooklyn, NY 11211, USA. Last accessed:
September 3 ,2008 .]Cast
*
Luis Peña as El Mellao
* María Asquerino as Pili
* Francisco Arenzana as Pepe
* Marisa de Leza as Tonia
* Ricardo Lucía as Manolo Pérez
* José Prada as Manuel Pérez
* Félix Dafauce as Don Roque, "el Chamberlain"
* María Francés as La madreAwards
Wins
* Cinema Writers Circle Awards, Spain: CEC Award; Best Film; Best Supporting Actor, Félix Dafauce; Best Supporting Actress, Marisa de Leza; 1953.
* National Syndicate of Spectacle, Spain: 3rd place Prize of the National Syndicate of Spectacle; 1953.Nominations
*Cannes Film Festival : Grand Prize of the Festival; José Antonio Nieves Conde; 1952.References
External links
*
* [http://www.filmaffinity.com/es/film323900.html "Surcos"] at Film Affinity sp icon
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.