LIBERTARIAS (1996) directed by Vicente Aranda is a great and passionate film paying tribute to the defeated ideas of freedom and utopia. Linked to the point of view given by films like"Sierra de Teruel" (Andre Malraux 1938) and Tierra y Libertad (Ken Loach, 1995), the film explains the story of six women deeply immersed in the fight for their ideals and its defeat.

Aranda had previous contacts with the SCW libertarians through his former films (Si te dicen que cai," and the TV series "Los jinetes del alba" on the previous moments to the 1934 Asturias revolution). "Libertarias" is located mainly at the Aragon front and tells the activities of these women members of the anarchist organization "Mujeres Libres." A former prostitute, a nun, a spiritist, a worker...trying to participate in the direct fight against the fascism, and their triple defeat as women, as anarchist and as republicans.

Some tremendism, cruelty, and passion, mixed with the solidarity and epic generousity denounces the war absurd. Some scenes like the death of the libertarian women at the moor's hands, or the entrance at a conquered town with the blood pouring balconies are both exciting and dreadful.

A few action scenes by the Durruti Column and the Moors' charge are enough to consider this film as a war film, but there is also a picture of the revolutionary barbarism that request the end of the religious images or the shooting of a bishop (the death of the old rules).

The film is partially based on the novel "La monja libertaria" (The libertarian nun") a half-fiction story; and also the real memoirs of a priest (Mosen Jesus Arnal) "Yo fui secretario de Durruti" -Mira Ed. 1995- member of such a libertarian column.

"Libertarias" is played by some of the best international Spanish actors and actresses (Ana Belen, Victoria Abril, Miguel Bose...) and it is a number one film at the Spanish cinemas these days. I hope that our international penpals from abroad will be able to see this film at their cinemas soon, if not, wait for the Spanish video version.

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