Cría Cuervos (50th Anniversary)

It’s wonderful that one of the most important masterpieces of Spanish cinema is back on the big screen. Shortly after the tragic death of her mother, nine-year-old Ana also loses her father, an authoritarian military officer in the Franco regime. Ana barely mourns him. Aunt Paulina takes over the care of Ana and her two younger sisters, but turns out to be just as cold and authoritarian as Ana’s father.

Obsessed with death and convinced of the magical power of a mysterious powder, the boundaries between reality and imagination begin to blur for Ana. Her deceased mother continues to appear to her. In apparent contrast to the gloom, we constantly hear Porque Te Vas, the pop song that became a global hit thanks to the film: cheerful in tone, yet with a melancholic message about loss and farewell.

The film’s title, Cría Cuervos, refers to the Spanish proverb ‘Cría cuervos y te sacarán los ojos’ (If you raise crows, they will peck out your eyes). As well as being a family drama, the film also has a clear political undertone. It was shot during the final months of Franco’s dictatorship, with the children’s silent rebellion symbolising the longing for freedom.

Cría Cuervos owes its classic status largely to the remarkable lead performance by Ana Torrent, who observes the world around her with large, unfathomable eyes. Director Carlos Saura leaves it up to the viewer to interpret her thoughts and feelings. A masterpiece that, fifty years after its release, still provokes deep reflection.

Written by EJ