PONIENTE

Spain, 2002, 96 minutes, Colour.
Cuca Escribano, Jose Coronado.
Directed by Chuz Gutierrez.

The reason for seeing Poniente is its portrait of Spain at the beginning of the 21st century. There are various issues of social life, government, the economy, both industry and agriculture. There are also racial issues – especially for the migrants, illegal and legal, coming across from northern Africa. It is a film about the European Union coping with development as well as with migrants. The film also tells a story – about a teacher at a school, the children, her aunt and family life as well as legal struggles, family conflicts.

While mainly for a Spanish audience, it is an interesting glimpse of life in Europe, especially southern Europe and the Mediterranean.

1. Spain in the 21st century, social life, the economy, government, industry, agriculture? The agricultural methods, business, strikes? Race, society and violence?

2. The Madrid settings, the school, the contrast with the southern coast, the beaches, the winds and water, the earth and the elemental atmosphere? The irony of the valleys covered with plastic?

3. Spanish traditions in this part of southern Spain, the Berbers and the common roots with the Spaniards, the Moroccan migrants, the European Union? Illegal entrants, the Spaniard using them for labour, exploiting them? Racial prejudice and harsh treatment? Ultimate violence and destruction?

4. Lucia and her work at school, the children, embracing each other, playing? Her daughter? The news of her grandfather's death, the bus ride, her aunt meeting her, the funeral and her fainting, the revelation of her daughter being drowned at this beach?

5. The aunt and her care for Lucia and her daughter, her advice about the property, the will, Miguel and his legal struggles for his property, Lucia and her decision to work the agricultural business with the tomatoes?

6. The character of Curro, his having migrated to Switzerland with his family, the years in Switzerland, not feeling at home there, not feeling at home in Spain? His diligent doing of the accounts, his advice to Lucia's father, his advice to Lucia, bringing the documents? His dream of opening the bar? His friendship with Admembi and their collaboration, their discussions about their roots? Lucia's breakdown, his helping, the attraction, the kiss, the beginning of a relationship? External tensions? The bar and his wanting to put down the money, the owner potentially selling it to the Germans, his asking Miguel for a loan?

7. Lucia, her relationship with her father, his not having spoken to her, finding the drawer with all her letters unopened? Her going to work, the information about the plastic, about the crops? Her reliance on Paquito as manager, with the workers, the methods? Her meeting of Chad, friendliness, his speaking up on behalf of the workers and lunch breaks etc? Her encountering Paquito's prejudice against her, against her methods, holding onto her father's methods, Lucia learning?

8. Miguel and his relationship to Lucia, his relationship to his son, his son wanting to leave school and work, the irony of Lucia giving him work, her consultation with Miguel? The dispute about the land, going to the courts? Curro and his advice, lending Curro the money? The court decision against Miguel? His angers? His relationship with his mother, her advice? The build-up to the race hatred, hatred of Lucia? His speaking up at the landowners' meetings? The threat of the strike, the loss of his money, his setting the fire, the phone call and his discovering that his son was dead? His grief at killing his son?

9. Paquito as manager, loyal to the previous owner, his being bombastic in manner, telling Lucia what she should do, his prejudice against Chad and dismissing him? The overtime issues, his own payments? The racism, talk in the bar? His being fired and his resentment? His speaking up at the meetings?

10. Perla and her daughter, the friendship of the two little girls, their doing things together, school? Perla babysitting? Her aunt warning Lucia against it? The discussions, their hopes, being trapped in the town? Perla not at home, discovering the strip club, the clients, Lucia's reaction, Perla's explanations, Lucia not being judgmental? The friendship scenes between the two women? Lucia suggesting Perla for a job at Curro's bar?

11. Admembi and the other Berbers, the Moroccans, their skill at work, their desperation to be hired, in the fields, with the tomatoes? Curro and his working with them, friendship with Admembi, their discussions, their roots? The plans for the bar? The Moroccan men, the unionising, their being excluded from the bars?

12. Said and his young friends, arrogant, getting the money from Curro for their apartment, being ousted, at work, their continued anger?

13. The landowners, the issue of wages, justice, the economy, business? Their meetings?

14. The workers, the poor conditions, the sequence of celebrating together and Lucia and Curro sharing this? The plans, the homes, their bad treatment and being ousted? The build-up to the strike?

15. The setting of the fire, the devastation, the young man being dead, Curro and his being hurt, Lucia finding him and reviving him?

16. The film as a portrait of Spain at the beginning of the 21st century, its situations, the fire seen as a symbol of destruction of the past, a purging - and the possibilities of a new beginning?