Butterfly (1999 film)

Infobox Film
name = Butterfly


image_size =
caption = Moncho and Don Gregorio on the cover of the DVD release
director = José Luis Cuerda
producer =
writer = Rafael Azcona
José Luis Cuerda
narrator =
starring = Fernando Fernán Gómez
Manuel Lozano
Elena Fernandez
music =
cinematography =
editing =
distributor =
released = 1999
runtime = 96 min.
country = Spain
language = Spanish
budget =
preceded_by =
followed_by =
website =
amg_id =
imdb_id = 0188030

"Butterfly" is the English language DVD release title for "La lengua de las mariposas" (Spanish "The Tongue of the Butterflies"), a 1999 Spanish film directed by José Luis Cuerda. The film was also titled, in various places, as the "Butterfly's Tongue" and "Butterfly Tongues". The film centers on Moncho (Manuel Lozano) and his coming-of-age experience in Galicia in 1936. Moncho develops a close relationship with his teacher Don Gregorio (Fernando Fernán Gómez) who introduces the boy to the world. While the story centers on Moncho's ordinary coming-of-age experiences, tensions related to the looming Spanish Civil War periodically interrupt Moncho's personal growth and daily life.

The film is adapted from 3 short stories from the book "¿Qué me quieres, amor?" by Galician author Manuel Rivas. The short stories are "La lengua de las Mariposas", "Un saxo en la niebla", and "Carmiña".

The film received some critical acclaim. It was nominated for the 2000 Goya Award for "Best Picture" and it won the Goya Award for "Best Adapted Screenplay." "Butterfly" also has a 95% rating on RottenTomatoes.com. [ [http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/1098106-butterfly/ Butterfly - Movie Reviews, Trailers, Pictures - Rotten Tomatoes ] ]

Cast

* Fernando Fernán Gómez as Don Gregorio
* Manuel Lozano as Moncho
* Elena Fernandez as Carmiña
* Uxia Blanco as Rosa
* Gonzalo Martín Uriarte as Ramón
* Alexis de los Santos as Andrés

Plot

A young boy, Moncho, goes to school for the first time and is taught by Don Gregorio about life and literature.

When fascists take control of the town, they round up known Republicans, including Don Gregorio. Moncho's father is also a Republican, and his family fears that he too will be taken away in the purge if the fascists discover his political leanings. In order to protect themselves, the family goes to the town square to jeer the captured Republicans as they are paraded out of the court house and boarded onto a truck. The film ends with Moncho, despite his continued great affection for his friend and teacher, yelling hateful things and throwing rocks at Don Gregorio and the other Republicans as the truck carries them away, though the last thing Moncho yells are the words for the tongue of a butterfly, a favorite word taught to him by Don Gregorio, presumably in an attempt to let his dear friend know that he doesn't truly mean the words he is yelling.

References

External links

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