Ballarat Film Society – While at War (Mientras dure la guerra)

Spain/Argentina, 2019, 107 min. Directed by Alejandro Amenabar
Spanish Civil War Film

Historical dramas have been very popular at Ballarat Film Society, so this year we are screening an intriguing Spanish political and military film set in 1936, during the first few months of the Spanish Civil War. The film recreates, in a surprisingly measured way, the conflict lived through by Spanish philosopher and writer Miguel de Unamuno in his university town of Salamanca.  His initial support for the new Franco regime is moderate; however, in a legendary speech at the university, he issued a warning that cast him into public humiliation and chaos. Franco’s rise to power casts a long shadow over Spain, long after his death in 1975, and this film presents an ambitious Franco capitalising on the loss of Spanish national pride to promote himself and his allies.  This is an exquisitely detailed period piece that shows a snapshot of Spain at a complicated time.