LOS GIRASOLES CIEGOS (BLIND SUNFLOWERS)
Spain, 2008, 98 minutes, Colour.
Maribel Verdu, Javier Camara, Raul Arevalo.
Directed by Jose Luis Cuerda.
Though the screenplay declares that the Bible refers to those who walk in the valley of shadows as blind sunflowers, I couldn't guarantee to find such a text.
However, as explained, the sunflowers follow the sun which is there whether they see it or not.
Abridged from a well-known novel in Spain, this is a story of the Catholic Church in post Civil War Spain. Audiences who feel uncomfortable when they see life in seminaries in those days whether they approve of the methods then or not need to know that this is a story of a seminarian in 1940 (Raul Arevalo) who had been sent out during his study years to fight for Franco and who had executed the enemy as a duty. He is now a deacon and wondering about going on for ordination because, while his military years might have told him something about himself and his capacity for violence, it seems he has completely underestimated or repressed his sexuality. He is now tempted by lust and soon tormented as he is sent by the rector to teach in a school, to confront his demons rather than thinking he can take safe refuge behind seminary walls.
When he is beguiled by an unwitting mother of a student, he rationalises his behaviour, harasses the woman, eventually causing woe to her and deceiving himself.
The Civil War background of the film consists in this non-religious family where the free-thinking father is hiding in the house in danger of police intervention.
With Maribel Verdu (Y Tu Mama Tambien, Pan's Laybrinth) as the mother and the versatile Javier Camara (Almodovar's Talk to Her and Mal Educacion) as the father, this part of the film builds up dramatic tension.
However, the film is an exploration of self-deception, the deacon creating his own imaginative version of his conduct where the mother is completely to blame and, despite the questioning by the rector, he accepts no guilt whatsoever.
Not necessarily to the taste of the general public but, in these years of examining the behaviour of priests and their training, an intense look at the sexual conflicts of those who follow a priestly vocation.
1.A Spanish drama, Spanish history, the civil war, fascism, anti-Catholicism, the church, priesthood? A valuable exploration of these themes?
2.The 1940 setting, the town, the streets and their feel, homes, the seminary, school? Costumes and décor? Score?
3.Audience knowledge of the civil war, attitude towards Franco, towards the church?
4.The introduction to Salvador: praying in the chapel, going to see the rector, their discussion, his history in the civil war, military service, loyalty to Franco, executing people? His vocation, the questions, being a deacon, looking forward to ordination? The vow of chastity and the test? The language about the Devil, temptation? The rector urging him to confront his problems?
5.Transferred to the school, teaching, the theatre, the children, the staff, the eccentric rector?
6.Elena and Lorenzo, at school, Salvador and the sexual attraction, talking to the rector? Blaming Elena? Describing her, his experience? The rector talking about lust? Salvador seeing himself as the victim? His being urged to confront the Devil, not to be afraid, not to seek sanctuary in the seminary?
7.Elena and Ricardo, Ricardo and his past history, reputation, Mason, free-thinking, professor? Hiding in the house? Feeling confined and constricted? His love for his wife, her helping him? The communist and anticommunist background? The daughter, her pregnancy, leaving with the poet, going into the forest? The daily routines in the house? Ricardo and his translations? Elena taking them to the publisher?
8.Salvador and his attempts to meet Elena, Elena hurrying away, his following her, enquiring why she went into the building, his excuse about going to the dentist, offering her the ice cream, talking about Lorenzo and vocation, rationalising his situation?
9.Elena and her husband, Ricardo’s despair, the police and their visit to Elena, taunting her about her husband, infidelity…?
10.Salvador and his visit, the cup of coffee, finding the razor, Elena explaining about shaving legs, his holding her, his desire?
11.Elena and the tonsillitis for Lorenzo, the excuse, the planning to leave the town? Packing, arranging the books, trying to give them away? The news of the death of their daughter, of the husband? The audience seeing the childbirth, Elena’s death, the milk, the cow and its death, the poet and his being shot?
12.Life in the school, the superior and his shrewdness in assessing Salvador, his excuses, the superior’s demands?
13.Salvador consumed by his obsession, his putting on his military uniform, confronting Elena, the assault, Lorenzo coming in, Ricardo emerging, Salvador and his calling out that there were communists, Ricardo and his farewell to Elena, throwing himself out the window? Lorenzo and his reaction?
14.The final talk to the rector, confessing, fabricating a story, Elena as Eve, Salvador completely blaming her, she being the temptress? The rector asking him about whether he was in any way responsible? His denial? Denying that he was to blame for Ricardo’s death? The issue of his vocation, the heavy penance? His future?
15.The exploration of vocation, religious motivation, self-deception? The title, the biblical explanation? The sun shining, God’s presence – even if the sunflowers do not see it, yet they follow the sun?
