The Filmed War

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War Documentary hosted by Julian Casanova, published by Filmoteca Espanola in 1936 - English narration

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The series contains 37 films and documentaries on the Spanish Civil War from the archives of the Filmoteca Española. TVE broadcasters in Spain, in association with the Spanish Filmoteca has prepared a documental series in eight chapters (each of 55 minutes) with unpublished records of the Civil War that devastated the country between 1936 and 1939. With such a wealth of material and research as rigorous, the production decided to respect the sources of information: the documentaries made at the time by both sides in the war - the republican regime and the group from the Spanish army that supported future dictator Francisco Franco - and the presentation classes by university professor of contemporary history, Julián Casanova, of the University of Zaragoza. The series is the literal record of the presentations by the professor with audiovisual insertion, almost always from the original editing of the reels of film never before made public. There are eight themes: La República en Guerra: Includes three documentaries among these España, 1936, also known as España Leal en Armas, produced by the Propaganda Secretariat of the Government of the Republic, directed by Jean-Paul Le Chanois with production, selection of material, and script by filmmaker Luís Buñuel. The film supports republican legality, intended for diffusion abroad. It starts with the downfall of the monarchy, shows images of the years of the republic and ends with the battle of Madrid, with the commentator crying out: "When will this monstrous war ever end?" La España Sublevada: Is shown as a single documentary of 51 minutes edited from the original 77, a Hispanic-Germanic co-production entitled La España Heróica - Estampas de la Guerra Civil Española, that shows how the rebel military groups arose and the political forces that supported them. The first 26 minutes that consisted only of a historical introduction, were cut out. General Franco is already one of the outstanding protagonists in the action. Rebelión Militar y Revolución Social: In the cities in which the military uprising did not succeed, a sudden, violent revolutionary process began with intent to destroy the positions of the privileged groups. The three documentaries of this segment summarize the power of propaganda of the anarchists in Catalunha during the first months of the war and, also, the two faces of the revolution - destructive violence and an egalitarian dream. In the words of George Orwell who was witness to the facts: "This was the first time in which I was in a city where the labor class were in power." La Defensa de Madrid: The capital of the country was the stage for the first great battle in the Civil War. Franco conquered the capital with an army from Africa and squads of German and Italian planes. The documentaries selected here reflect the communist and Soviet presence. The first two were produced by Socorro Rojo Internacional and by the Alliance of Anti-Fascist Intellectuals; in the second, actor Rafael Alberti recites "Madrid, Corazón de España". Two other records are Soviet film news and, finally, there is a short film showing the advance of Franco's troops in the autumn of 1936. Campos de Batalla y Políticas de Retaguardia: In this chapter, seven documentaries were selected that record the development of the war and of politics on two ideological fronts. In one of these, there are explicit scenes of anarchist fronts and rearguards with a strong and surprising presence of Catholic values. And "La Toma de Teruel" shows the brief moment in which the republicans managed to gain access to the city of Teruel, the only capital of a province they held during the war, even if for only a short time; “Teruel Há Caído” shows the celebrations in Barcelona by the Franco re-capture of the city. Una Guerra Internacional: The Spanish Civil War that began with a military uprising that was exclusively internal, became a conflict with international repercussion. There are eight documentaries. In the first three, the protagonists are prisoners from both sides, used as traditional pieces for propaganda. The other short films include abundant evidence of fascist and Soviet intervention. One British short film is outstanding on the acts of farewell to international brigades in the autumn of 1938. Resistir, Vencer: Hacia el Final de la Guerra: The war was coming to an end and the president of the republic, Juan Negrin, tries to negotiate a solution with Franco who refuses to lend support to peace between the parties. The first of the three documentaries, the French "L'Espagne Vivra", shows a final attempt of resistance of the Spanish people in face of the fascism and danger that Franco represented, also, for France. The other films are pro-Franco and are from the Official Spanish News. It was February, 1939. La Victoria: The war ended April 1st, 1939 with total triumph of Franco's army. The documentaries show the victory and immediate fusion between Catholicism and the notion of a Country and Homeland. On May 19, 1939, 120 thousand soldiers paraded before Franco in a political-military apotheosis. The Generalíssimo was awarded the Gran Cruz Laureada de San Fernando, the maximum decoration granted only to the king or "to whom, in his absence, is to exert executive power."